Charles Aznavour, the famous artist, composer, poet, actor, National Hero of the Republic of Armenia, venerated son of Western Armenia, who sang songs about love and homeland, the most precious feelings of humanity, would have celebrated his 99th birthday on May 22. Charlemagne Aznavour, whose real name is Vaghinak Aznavourian, was born in Akhaltskha, Javakhk. Charles’ family was strongly attached to national traditions, the native language and the church. Since childhood he had a great interest in art. He went to theater school. To help his family, young Charles performed in small plays and sang in church. 

In 1946 he met the famous singer Edith Piaf and they toured together in concerts. He initially sang with Pierre Roche. In 1959 she gained universal recognition after a performance at the Olympia concert hall in Paris. He sang in almost all of the world’s best concert halls and gave concerts in Yerevan.  

Aznavour wrote more than a thousand songs and starred in more than sixty films. After the 1988 Spitak earthquake, he visited the Republic of Armenia several times and was in the disaster zone. In Paris, he founded the “Aznavour to Armenia” foundation for earthquake victims and opened its representative office in Yerevan. Since 1995, he was the Honorary Envoy of the EC President for Special Duties and Permanent Representative of Armenia to UNESCO. 

In 2009, he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Armenia to Switzerland. He was awarded the title of national hero of Armenia, the diamond orders “Grigor Lusavorich” of Artsakh and “Ararat” of the Tekeyan cultural union, 2 French Legion Orders. In 2009 he was recognized as the best singer of the 20th century.

Charles Aznavour passed away on October 1, 2018, leaving behind a rich musical legacy