Davit Bek

About

Davit Bek is an heroic opera based on Raffi's epic novel which portrays a series of events from Armenia's turbulent past with historical accuracy. It is the story of the struggle and hardship of a nation at the beginning of the 18th century albeit one with a positive ending. The hero manages to defeat the foreign oppressors by unifying all factions of the country and starting the arduous task of "nation-building". Davit Bek is Tigranian's second and last opera. Like his masterpiece Anoush, this work too is coloured extensively with the enchanting tunes of Armenian folk music. Here he extends his palate to include music from neighbouring Iran and Georgia and by doing so he creates contrasting images to great dramatic effect, e.g. the triumphant march of the Persian soldiers and the sorrowful opening chorus of the Armenians.