Description

ARMAND TOKATYAN (PLOVDIV, BULGARIA, 16 JANUARY, 1894 – PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, 12 JUNE, 1960)

 

 

 

 

He travelled to Egypt with his parents where he sang in cafés to favorable response. He was then sent to Paris to study tailoring, but instead sang in Left Bank cafés. In 1914, he returned to Egypt and earned his living by again singing in the cafés. He took up operetta, soon becoming a matinee idol, then in 1919 went to Milan to pursue an opera career. His operatic debut was in 1921 at the Teatro Dal Verme in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. With the help of Italian conductor Giuseppe Bamboschek, he joined the touring Scotti Opera Company in the United States, and was soon noticed by the Metropolitan Opera where he debuted in 1923. For many years he performed there and at many other opera houses in the US and Europe. He was proficient in numerous languages.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1921 Milan Teatro Dal Verme Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1926 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1927 Philadelphia Academy of Music Carmen (Don Jose)

1928 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1928 San Francisco Civic Auditorium Carmen (Don Jose)

1929 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1932 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1935 Philadelphia Academy of Music Carmen (Don Jose)

1935 Chicago Civic Opera House Carmen (Don Jose)

1936 Chicago Civic Opera House Boheme (Rodolfo)

1936 Chicago Civic Opera House Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1936 New York Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Don Jose)

1938 Chicago Civic Opera House Carmen (Don Jose)

1939 Chicago Civic Opera House Andrea Chenier (Chenier)

1939 Chicago Civic Opera House Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1940 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

 

TRACKLIST

 

Armand Tokatyan – Arias and Armenian Art Songs

Label: The Record Album – RA 202

Format: Vinyl, LP

Country: US

Genre: Classical, Folk, World, & Country

Style: Opera

1 Manon

2 Carmen

3 Faust

4 Lolita

5 Fanciulla Del West

6 L’Ultima Canzone

7 Andrea Chenier

8 Siroohis

9 Anor

10 Andornai

11 Nostalgia

12 Dzaghotz Meda

13 Varte

14 Bejingo

15 Hayasdan

The Record Album

254 West 81st St

New York, N.Y.

Side 2 all songs sung in Armenian except band 4, in Spanish.