Meltha Magazine Online

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1997 Volume 3, No1(7) page 38

The Benefit performance in Russia

This year a couple of outstanding Assyrian singers from the USA, Evin Aghassi and Linda George, came to give performances in Russia for the first time.

It should be emphasized that the numbers both performers like to do are very popular among Assyrians in Russia. So we naturally expected a very good response from the audiences. For we all here still remember the grand shows given by Juliana Jindo who was the first Assyrian born artist to visit the Soviet Union where she actually toured all the main areas of fairly dense Assyrian habitation in Russia as well as in Georgia and Armenia.

Unfortunately the spiritual and cultural degradation has struck Russia and Assyrians as well. There is no emotional rescue now which was created during Julian Jindo's performances, and that atmosphere was shared by the young and by the old equally. Probably it partially can be explained by the fact that Julian Jindo was invited by the Assyrian national associations of Moscow, Georgia and Armenia which organized her tours very well and arranged for her some meetings with her fan audiences at large everywhere she came to perform. This time the Assyrian associations did not rise to the occasion and Mr. E. Aghassi and Ms. L. .George came by a private invitation.

The shows in question actually did not gather a very big audience as they were put on only in three big cities, namely in Moscow, Krasnodar and Rostov-on the Don river. Anyway E. Aghassi and L. George did their gigs with the ultimate artistry both in terms of their vocal presentation and dramatics alike. Besides, it is noteworthy that both singers showed their personal dedication to the classical art and highly selected repertoire. The lyricism and spirituality of their songs full of love, pride and devotion feel for their own nation. The art they make is very emotional as well as cognitive holding the audience in contemplation in terms of moral and patriotic aspirations. It is a pity that such an art cannot find its way to bigger audiences in Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine. Assyrian audiences who apparently know of their art through video and audio formats only may have an opinion that ;Assyrian singers in the West more willingly perform dancing music and do their gigs in restaurants or bars.

In conclusion we should like to mention that Mr. E. Aghassi tried to bring to all Assyrians in Russia his devotion and dedication to the national idea of cultural revival of Assyrians. Besides, he worked in his performances much for national consolidation and cooperation in the top priority fields that is education and culture. This conception of his artistic work he voiced himself in the interview to the radio program 'Kala Atturaya' and the Bulletin 'Meltha'.