Credo ("Auction of Souls", 1919)
from Alina & Zareh Tjeknavorian 2 years ago
"Credo" is a presentation of Loris Tjeknavorian's Symphony No. 2 with the legendary silent film "Ravished Armenia". A sensation
upon its release in 1919, the Hollywood produced epic, based on the personal account of Aurora Mardiganian, is a harrowing
dramatization of the Armenian genocide.
A young girl who had survived the horrors of
deportation in 1915, Ms. Mardiganian stars as herself in the lead role, adding a profoundly poignant dimension to this masterpiece.
Mysteriously, all copies of the film were lost except for a single 15-minute fragment that is presented here in its entirety.
Tjeknavorian's Symphony No. 2, dedicated to the genocide and brilliantly performed by the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
and Choir, is powerfully visualized by "Ravished Armenia", while bringing to life a lost treasure of the silent screen.
Along
with additional archival footage courtesy of the Armenian Genocide Museum in Yerevan, "Credo" tells a story of tragedy and
survival through an evocative marriage of music and image. Commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, "Credo"
is at turns moving, terrifying, beautiful and inspiring: a unique and unforgettable experience.
|