Armenian poet, playwright and children’s author Samvel Kosyan dies at 79
- Published
- Place
- Yerevan, Armenia
- Event date
- Past event —
Summary
Poet, playwright and children’s author Samvel Kosyan died on 1 November aged 79, the Writers’ Union of Armenia announced. Born in Yerevan on 24 January 1947, he graduated in journalism from Yerevan State University and belonged to the literary generation of the 1960s. He served in the Armenian army from 1995 to 2003, then became managing editor of the Writers’ Union weekly Grakan Tert in 2004 and its editor-in-chief from 2005 to 2012. His plays were staged at the Tumanyan Puppet Theatre and the Hamazgayin Theatre in Yerevan. He also wrote for animated films and translated many works. The wake will be held on 2 November in Arinj, Kotayk province, and the funeral on 3 November.
Analysis
Samvel Kosyan was among the writers who sustained Armenian children’s theatre after independence, when stages lacked a national repertoire. His work was recognised abroad: in 2000 he won the grand prize at a theatre festival in Iran. In 2023 the Yerevan Book Festival again awarded him its drama prize, a sign that he remained highly active to the end.
Possible consequences
The wake will take place on 2 November from 5pm to 8pm at the Getargel hall in Arinj; the burial will be on 3 November at 1pm. His plays remain in the repertoire of children’s theatres.
What remains uncertain
The cause of death has not been disclosed. The sources consulted do not give the full name of the Iranian festival that honoured him in 2000.
