The possible increase in gas tariffs will have a direct impact upon the activities of theatres, because the State Budget 2010 prescribed lower gas prices for theatres, and other state institutions.

“We spend four million drams ($10,600) per month to warm the huge building of the Opera House, if the tariffs rise by 41 percent, that amount will greatly increase,” says Kamo Hovhannisyan, head of the Alexander Spendiaryan Armenian National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

There are 15 state theatres in Yerevan, the Spendiaryan being the largest.

At a Tuesday press conference Hovhannisyan also spoke about the successful performances of the last year and about the plans for this year.

A new ballet master - Rudolf Kharatyan - was invited from the US to enrich the playlist of modern performances. This year Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Aida’ opera is already being staged: 100 million drams ($266,600) will be spent on it.

Sundukyan National Academic Theatre of Yerevan will have three new premiers during spring. They will be performances planned since 2009, yet not presented to the public (‘Honey,’ ‘Legend about Macbeth’ and a performance dedicated to well-known artist Goya).

“The show of those performances was delayed because last year the chief painter of the theatre died. But this year we will have an additional one modern and one classical performances,” says Stepan Davtyan, head of Sundukyan Theatre.

To journalists’ question why the theatre has not had an artistic director since last year, Davtyan answered that they unanimously recommend Armen Elbakyan. However, the Ministry of Culture of Armenia has not made a decision on this issue yet.