The concert will take place on 18 July 2026 at the Madeira Congress Centre, under the baton of internationally acclaimed Italian conductor Gianluca Marcianò.

Composed in 1940 and dedicated to the legendary violinist David Oistrakh, Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto is admired for its vibrant rhythmic drive, rich lyricism, brilliant virtuosity, and unmistakable Armenian musical character. Widely recognized for his passionate artistry, refined technique, and compelling stage presence, Haik Kazazyan brings exceptional depth and authenticity to this iconic work.

The second half of the evening will feature Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” one of the most beloved symphonic works ever written. Inspired by the composer’s time in America, the symphony combines unforgettable melodies, powerful orchestral colours, and profound emotional expression.

Together, these two masterpieces promise an unforgettable musical journey, bringing together intensity, lyricism, and symphonic grandeur in a season finale that is expected to captivate audiences.

Internationally acclaimed, Haik Kazazyan has performed with leading orchestras and conductors across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, earning recognition for his expressive interpretations and outstanding virtuosity.

His family says “the loss was sudden and unexpected”, adding he died in Sydney “surrounded by family, and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.”

In 2023, Neill said he had been diagnosed with cancer, but in April this year revealed he was cancer free.

Neill was born in Northern Ireland and moved to New Zealand when he was seven – he later played a Belfast police chief in Peaky Blinders.

He played Dr Alan Grant in the first Jurassic Park in 1993, and in later films in the franchise. He was also well known for The Piano, The Hunt For Red October and Event Horizon.

The performance will take place on July 13 at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex and is presented in collaboration with the hosq Foundation.

Rather than a conventional concert or stage performance, the project transforms the festival entrance into a living sound environment. There is no stage, no single focal point, and no fixed perspective. Musicians will be positioned throughout the foyer, creating an evolving sonic landscape that visitors will experience as they move through the space. Each guest’s journey—shaped by their route, pauses, listening position and attention—will result in a unique version of the work.

Chora Gavit: A Score for Moving Bodies reimagines the traditional film festival opening. Before the first screening, the first frame or the official opening ceremony, audiences will already find themselves immersed in an artistic experience. The entrance itself becomes the festival’s first cinematic event rather than simply a passage into the venue.

The composer establishes the musical framework, while the musicians bring it to life through improvisation. The space and the movement of the audience become equal co-creators of the work.

The title combines two significant concepts. Chora is an ancient Greek philosophical term referring to a space of formation, possibility and emergence, while gavit is the traditional entrance hall of an Armenian church. Together, these ideas transform the festival foyer into a contemporary “gavit,” where everyday urban life gradually gives way to the creative world of the film festival.

The project is rooted in the principles of site-specific art, in which the venue is not merely a backdrop but an integral part of the work itself. Music becomes an environment, architecture becomes an instrument, and human movement becomes a living score.

With this installation-performance, the Golden Apricot International Film Festival and the hosq Foundation invite audiences to rethink the very beginning of cinema, suggesting that it starts not only on the screen but also through the interaction of space, light, sound and human movement.

Aleksanyan passed away in the early hours of July 6 after spending three days in hospital.

Born in Yerevan in 1961, Aleksanyan would have turned 65 on July 17. A graduate of the studio of the Gabriel Sundukyan National Academic Theatre and later of the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography in Moscow, he built a distinguished career as an actor and director in theater, film and television.

Throughout his career, Aleksanyan appeared in numerous Armenian and international productions, including Don’t Be Afraid, Poker.am, Garegin Nzhdeh, and Russian Ark. He was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia in recognition of his contribution to the country’s performing arts.

It becomes the first new country to join since Australia in 2015, and follows a turbulent year where long-standing competitors such as Ireland and Spain pulled out over Israel’s participation.

The path for Canada to compete was cleared last week, when the country’s public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada became a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which stages the annual competition.

The country can already claim one winner. Quebec-born Celine Dion represented Switzerland in the 1988 contest, and took the trophy with her song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.

Other Canadians have since competed, including Natasha St-Pier, an Acadian New Brunswicker who represented France in 2001, and La Zarra, a singer from Montreal who represented France in 2023.

According to organisers, Canada will debut at next year’s semi-finals in Bulgaria.

CBC/Radio-Canada will unveil details on how Canada’s entry will be selected later this year.

According to the Matenadaran, the exhibition attracted unprecedented public interest. Held in a single exhibition hall, it welcomed approximately 13,000 visitors over a relatively short period, highlighting growing international interest in Armenia’s manuscript heritage.

The exhibition showcased exceptional examples of Armenian manuscript art, introducing visitors to centuries of Armenian spiritual and cultural traditions preserved in the Matenadaran’s renowned collections.

The Matenadaran said it will continue to prioritize the internationalization of its collections by organizing similar exhibitions abroad and expanding global access to Armenia’s documentary heritage.

Michael was already the biggest ever musical biopic, having leapfrogged 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody – about the band Queen.

But it has now also surpassed director Christopher Nolan’s 2023 film about the American theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, which previously held the box office record for any film based on a real-life figure.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael tells the story of the late US singer’s journey from being a child star in family group the Jackson 5, to becoming the solo King of Pop.

Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew, plays the titular role, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long portraying his parents.

On its release in April, Michael took $217m globally in its first week, overtaking previous music biopics including 2015’s NWA film Straight Outta Compton and 2018’s Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody.

It is also now Liongsgate Studios’ most successful movie, ahead of 2013’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Raisa Mkrtchyan was born on February 25, 1942, in the town of Sevan. She studied at the Romanos Melikyan Music College in Yerevan before continuing her education at the Komitas State Conservatory.

While still a student, she performed with youth pop orchestras. Throughout her distinguished career, she became the first performer of songs composed by renowned Armenian composers, including Arno Babajanyan, Konstantin Orbelyan, Ghazaros Aghayan, Edgar Balyan, Martin Vardazaryan and others.

Since 1968, Mkrtchyan served as a soloist with the Armenian Television and Radio Estrada Symphony Orchestra. She recorded more than 400 songs, many of which are preserved in the Golden Collection of the Armenian Public Radio and Television archives.

She gave numerous concerts in cities around the world, becoming one of the most beloved voices of Armenian popular music.

In 2006, Raisa Mkrtchyan was awarded the title of People’s Artist of Armenia. She was also a recipient of the Movses Khorenatsi Medal and the 1st Class Order “For Services to the Homeland.”

Over the years, Golden Apricot has welcomed some of the most influential figures of Iranian cinema, including Abbas Kiarostami, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Jafar Panahi, and Asghar Farhadi. This year, audiences will have the opportunity to meet the artist who stood behind the camera on many of the acclaimed films created by these masters.

Since the 1980s, Kalari has contributed to the production of more than 60 feature films, while his photography has been exhibited around the world. Widely regarded as one of the leading cinematographers of contemporary Iranian cinema, he has collaborated with some of the industry’s most celebrated directors.

Among the internationally acclaimed films shot by Kalari are Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation, Jafar Panahi’s Offside, Dariush Mehrjui’s Leila, and Abbas Kiarostami’s The Wind Will Carry Us.

The 23rd Golden Apricot International Film Festival will take place in Yerevan from July 12 to 19, 2026. This year’s edition will once again feature competitive and non-competitive programs showcasing films from around the world, including works presented at major international festivals such as Cannes and Berlin.

The festival will also bring together internationally recognized filmmakers, directors, actors, and industry professionals, creating a unique platform for cultural exchange, dialogue, and the sharing of new ideas with Armenian audiences.

Speaking at the session, Naira Kilichyan, Head of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation Division at Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, emphasized the importance Armenia places on cooperation between the state and civil society in the field of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding.

She noted that Armenia views such cooperation as a cornerstone of an effective and sustainable cultural policy. Kilichyan also highlighted that the ministry, through an open and transparent cultural policy, provides annual financial support to cultural non-governmental organizations through grant programs aimed at preserving, transmitting and promoting intangible cultural heritage in local communities.

Armenia’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Aram Hakobyan, reaffirmed that safeguarding intangible cultural heritage remains one of the priorities of the country’s cultural policy. He stressed the importance of understanding communities’ needs and ensuring the preservation of their cultural heritage.

During the session, the Armenian NGO Culture for Sustainable Development was accredited as a non-governmental organization providing advisory services to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in recognition of its professional expertise in the field.

It became the second Armenian NGO to receive such accreditation. In 2020, the Hazarashen Armenian Center for Ethnological Studies was granted the same status.