Exclusive publication on Charles Aznavour's 100th birthday. Newmag presents the chansonnier's poetry and prose in two volumes (video)

On the occasion of Charles Aznavour's great jubilee, Newmag and Amundi-Acba Asset Management presented the exclusive publication within the Morning Show of Armenia TV. On the 100th anniversary of the singer of the century, his poetry and prose were summarized in two volumes. From 2019 until now, Newmag has published 10 books, presenting the prose and poetry of his literary heritage in Armenian. 

The main part of Aznavour's prose and poetry was translated by Samvel Gasparyan. According to the translator, this book is the best gift for the chansonnier's birthday and his fans.

"He would be very happy if he saw this publication because I saw how he was happy with books, he was happy with his statue and naming the square. I have worked as a publisher all my life and we could not do such a thing then and now. The work done by Newmag proves that the publishing house understands and appreciates Aznavour.

The attitude of Newmag is love and as much love as I have for Aznavour. Only 500 songs in 2 years and an extremely high-quality edition, this is truly exceptional, and so is the prose collection. Libraries must have the jubilee two-volume set."

The translator regrets that Charles did not see this jubilee collection, because he loved books very much. "I would like him to see it. He decided to live a hundred years. Aznavour did not know that he was living his last years, he was sure that he would live for 100 years. He cherished that hope in the depths of his soul. Aznavour was with Armenians in the most difficult moments, during the earthquake, that's why Armenians love him so much." 

Samvel Gasparyan emphasizes that Aznavour was talented in all the fields in which he performed. Singer, writer, actor, photographer. "If he didn't sing in the beginning, he would have become a good novelist, equal to Maupassant. His speech and expressions in the songs are so deep, and impressive. Many people say that I look like him. If he didn't have a nose job, we wouldn't look like. People often take pictures at the presentations, because we look alike. Edik Militonyan once said, "You are so similar that you are his translation."

Translator's advice: If you wish to delve into Aznavour's work, begin with his poetry. He regards his songs as poems, and that's how he translates them. One of his cherished pieces is the song "Dear Armenia." At the TV presentation, Hasmik Arakelyan, the editor of the two volumes, underscored that the values Aznavour possesses, and which he conveyed through his writings, will contribute to nurturing a generation with a broad worldview.

"I think that he didn't say it jokingly and wanted to appear in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-lived singer. Even at the end of his works, he does not use full stops, he always said that he leaves the summing up to life. This is a big palette, all of Aznavour's works are in one collection: one is poetry, the other is prose. Newmag translated the entire literary heritage left by Aznavour.

The lyrics of his bilingual songs, spanning four volumes, have been compiled into one book by Newmag. You can purchase and delve into Aznavour's world. While his creative language was French, Armenian blood coursed through his veins. As Armenia embraces Aznavour, we too should read his works to welcome him with understanding. Charles was poetry within poetry, prose within prose, and song within song. Thanks to Newmag, we can fully appreciate him. Everyone will find themselves within these works, within his lines." 

On the singer's 100th birthday, Newmag published his poetry and prose in cooperation with Amundi-Acba Asset Management. From 2019 until now, 10 books of Aznavour have been published, presenting the prose and poetry of his literary heritage. According to Zarine Yeghiazaryan, responsible for marketing communications of the company, the project was extremely important for them.

"This year, we will celebrate the tenth anniversary of our company's activity, during which we have collaborated with Newmag for six years. It's been a wonderful project that Newmag promised and fulfilled. Our company places great importance on education and culture. As a French-Armenian company, we feel 100% Armenian and 100% French. We couldn't have been left out of this project.

At the very least, we felt responsible for making Charles Aznavour's cultural heritage accessible to Armenian-speaking readers. Charles Aznavour's contribution to the Armenian nation and statehood is invaluable. I recall that during my student years, we sought translations of his works, but they were only available in Russian. Now, all of his works are also available in Armenian."

The two-volume Newmag will present at Aznavour's jubilee presentation, the main sponsor of which is the "PROFAL GROUP" company. Sosi Demirchyan, deputy director of marketing emphasizes the importance of cooperation with the publishing house. After the Winter Fest, this is the second important cooperation. 

"The event will be held at O2 Gardens. O2 Gardens is an outdoor exhibition of plants and trees. It is a very beautiful place with plenty of oxygen. Charles would love that place very much, because in recent years he has been very obsessed with ecology, and environmental protection, he always said that we will have a concrete and plastic future if we don't take care of nature. 

I studied in France and England. The amusing thing is that in England when people asked me where I'm from and I said Armenia, they immediately recalled Kim Kardashian. In France, however, they promptly mentioned Charles Aznavour. In France, Armenians are respected, and the Armenian people hold value, thanks in part to the chansonnier. Aznavour is greatly beloved in France, and his loss was deeply felt. Among Charles Aznavour's works, the song "À ma fille" holds a significant and special meaning for me. I danced to that song with my father at my wedding."

The anniversary event at the O2 Gardens on May 22 at 7 p.m. will also feature songs that Newmag and Amundi-Acba Asset Management have presented since his death. During the evening, there will be a "Khaluli" wine reception. The special edition will be sold at a discount.