YEREVAN, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 27, on the occasion of the International Day of Theater, the annual Artavazd award giving solemn ceremony of the Union of Theatrical Figures of Armenia was held late in the evening in the Moscow theater. RA Prime Minister, newly elected President Serge Sargsian, RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosian, theatrical figures, art lovers were also present at the event. "Today is the holiday of theater, this is one more occasion to remember that the Armenian nation has an ancient theater, and to say that we will have interesting theatrical future. Theater has difficulties but it does not fall, our theaters work inspired with the future, serve to our state and culture," in his opening speech said Hakob Ghazanchian, the Chairman of the Union of Theatrical Figures of Armenia. In the words of the Chairman of the Union, this year the award giving ceremony is being held with new regulations. no one will know who has received award till the moment of opening the parcel. Besides, the participants themselves submitted bids for being included in the nominations as pretenders. The new performances which were presented from March 1, 2007 till March 1, this year have been given marks by the jury of the competition. Anna Elbakian was awarded Artavazd prize and was recognized the Best Actress of the Year for the performance "Will you dance with me?". In the nomination of the Best Actor of the Year two Artavazd prizes were given to Armen Elbakian and Varuzhan Manukian for the performances "Will you dance with me?" and "The daughter of a rich man cannot be ugly," respectively. Tumanian State Puppet Theater's "AK-AK" performance, producer Ruben Babayan, was recognized the Best Performance of the Year. The prize for the nomination The Best Producing of the Year was given to young producer Vahan Badalian for the performance "The theater of Ofelia's shadows". Vahagn Galstian from Yerevan H. Ghaplanian Dramatic Theater and Samvel Topchian from H. Malian theater-studio shared the prizes in the nomination The Best Young Actors of the Year. Lusine Yernjakian and Suren Shahverdian were recognized the Best Young Producers of the Year. For honourable service to the art of theater Artavazd prizes were also given to figures having considerable contribution to the sphere of theater: Rafael Jrbashian, Perch Zeytuntsian, and Varuzhan Khdshian. V. Khdshian was also given a golden medal by the RA Ministry of Culture and "Saint Sahak, Saint Mesrop" high order of honor by the Catholicos of All Armenians.

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