Abelian, Ovanes

Born Oct. 23 (Nov. 4), 1865; died July 1, 1936. Soviet Armenian actor and theater figure; People’s Artist of both the Armenian and Azerbaijan SSR’s (1932).

Abelian began his stage activity in 1882 in Baku. He toured Russia, the Ukraine, and Central Asia and also performed in Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Germany, France, England, and the USA. From 1925 he worked at the Sundukian Armenian Theater in Yerevan, then at the Baku Armenian Theater. Abelian’s artistry was noted for its realism and variety of expressive means. His best roles were those of Elizbarov, Barkhudar, and Gizh Danel (in Because of Honor, Namus, and Evil Spirit by Shirvanzade); Pepo (in the play of the same name by Sundukian); Brave Nazar (in the play of the same name by Demirchian); Uncle Bagdasar (in the play of the same name by Paronian); Neschastlivtsev (in The Forest by Ostrovsky); Raspliuev (in Krechinsky’s Wedding by Sukhovo-Kobylin); Othello and King Lear (in the plays of the same name by Shakespeare); and Egor Bulychov (in Egor Bulychov and Others by Gorky).