"You will protect 'Maral' and keep it alive"

The performance, held on Sunday evening, December 21, at the Ataturk Cultural Center, was attended by Patriarch Mashalyan, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Spiritual Leader of the Turkish Catholic Armenians Archbishop Vartan Kazanciyan, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Community Mor Filuksinos Yusuf Cetin, Archbishop Aram Atesyan, church foundation boards, and art lovers.

The event was hosted by Jbid Iskenderoglu Kalayci. During the performance, solo dance performances by Sarem K. Sesetyan, Efi Kayikciyan, Maya Kocabay, Roy Merkezoglu, Sirag Tahmisciyan, Sarin Ic, Baret Borucuyan, and Edgar Igityan received great acclaim, while general art director Garbis Capkan accompanied the dancers in "Mardabar" [Dance of the Mountains]. An orchestra from Armenia also took the stage. The Armenian songs performed and played by the orchestra consisting of Nune Navasartyan (kanun), Sevada Iritsyan (duduk, zurna, and clarinet), Artur Harutyunyan (dhol), Davit Grigoryan (oud), Erik Oganisyan (kamancha), Arsen Mirzoyan (tar), and Kayane Simonyan (soloist) were followed with great interest.

At the end of the show, a plaque of appreciation was presented to Capkan by Maryam Drameryan, President of the Esayan Alumni Association. In his closing speech, Patriarch Mashalyan commemorated Benon Kuzubas, the founder of the ensemble who passed away in 1986. Thanking Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy for the hall, Patriarch Mashalyan addressed the youth, saying, "You will protect Maral and keep it alive."

Patriarch Mashalyan spoke as follows:

"Bertolt Brecht says, 'The greatest art of all is the art of living.' The young people adorned the stage like butterflies. They demonstrated the art of living. They prepared for a year and took the stage. We congratulate them. Children, you were not here when Maral was founded 45 years ago. But it waited for you. You joined, and a historical caravan began. You have a responsibility. You will protect Maral and keep it alive. You have become the carriers of Armenian folklore and dance. We are proud of you. Garbis Capkan leads all of Maral behind him. It is a great fortune. He passes on his genius and defies the years. I see that these children love you. You became a father to them; you shaped their souls. This is no small achievement."