Lena Badeyan
“Radiolur”
The 6th Return Festival of Classical Music kicks off in Armenia today. The event has brought together musicians and orchestras from Israel, Germany, France, Denmark, Portugal and Armenia. The festival is held under the high auspices of First Lady Rita Sargsyan.
Maestro Avner Biron, music director and conductor of the Israeli Camerata Orchestra Jerusalem, will open the festival. The maestro says he has always wanted to visit Armenia and performing in Armenia is very important to him.
Avner Biron confesses that as a child he heard from his parents that Armenians and Jews had many similarities. Both nations survived a great tragedy. Although unwilling to interfere with politics and state affairs, the maestro said: “I feel shame for the Israeli Government for the failure to find strength in itself to recognize the tragedy of Armenians.”
Avner Biron has prepared several surprises for today’s opening concert of the Return Festival. One of them is a symphony by Joseph Hayden, which is performed very rarely in the world.
