Anoush

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Anoush (Anush in Armenian: Անուշ) is a five-act Armenian opera by Armen Tigranian, based on the 1892 poem by Hovhannes Tumanyan. Composed in 1912, it first appeared in Alexandropol and was fully staged in 1935 at the Armenian National Opera Theater. It remains a staple in Armenia and is considered a landmark in Armenian music for drawing on folk songs and culture. It’s one of the most popular Armenian operas.

The story is a tragedy set in a 19th-century Armenian village. Anoush, a young peasant girl, falls in love with Saro, a shepherd. At a village wedding, Anoush’s brother Mossy and Saro wrestle; instead of a draw, Saro pins Mossy, humiliating him. Mossy vows to destroy Saro. Reconciliation fails, and Anoush and Saro run away. When Anoush returns to try to reconcile, Mossy shoots Saro dead. Grief drives Anoush mad, and she ends her life by throwing herself off a cliff.