Artsakh director reimagines Muratsan's classic drama in new Yerevan performance

The reconstituted Stepanakert Vahram Papazyan State Drama Theater will present Ruzan, Daughter of Artsakh, a new stage adaptation of Muratsan’s celebrated historical drama Ruzan, in Yerevan later this month.

Directed by Artsakh-born theater artist Ruzan Khachatryan, the production seeks to draw connections between the enduring themes of the 19th-century literary work and the contemporary trials faced by Armenians, particularly those displaced from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

Although Muratsan’s original drama was written more than a century ago, Khachatryan said its key message remains strikingly relevant.

“Unfortunately, the play retains its relevance today because our homeland continues to confront profound challenges and the people are repeatedly called upon to endure them,” she said in an interview with Panorama.am on Thursday.

Khachatryan emphasized that the production is intended not only as a reflection on historical suffering but also as an affirmation of resilience. She said the performance invites audiences to revisit the hardships Armenians have overcome and to recognize the capacity for renewal even in times of adversity.

“Today, it is especially important for the Artsakh people, as well as for Armenians living here, to engage with this theme,” she said. “We want audiences to understand that there is always a path forward, always the possibility of rebirth.”

While the drama culminates in tragedy, Khachatryan described its conclusion not merely as an act of sacrifice but as one of salvation and moral triumph. She expressed hope that spectators would leave the theater with a renewed sense of faith and optimism.

The cast features predominantly actors from Artsakh, alongside prominent Armenian performers Shant Hovhannisyan, Sargis Grigoryan and Levon Ayvazyan.

Khachatryan acknowledged the emotional demands placed on the Artsakh actors, many of whom have experienced displacement and hardship firsthand.

“For them, this is not simply a theatrical performance,” she said. “They know intimately what these trials mean because they have lived through experiences similar to those portrayed on stage.”

The premiere of Ruzan, Daughter of Artsakh is scheduled for June 28 and 29 at Hamazgayin State Theater in Yerevan.

The Stepanakert Vahram Papazyan State Drama Theater, operating with the support of the Union of Theater Workers of Armenia and the DIALOG organization, was reestablished in Armenia in August 2025 following its relocation from Artsakh.