Krikor Partamian (July 27, 1921–2010) was a talented amateur opera singer and actor who acted in plays. He was born in Turkey and may have been two years old upon arriving in Egypt. He had a childhood and young adulthood full of events as his family fled to Egypt from the Armenian genocide in 1915. Despite his young age of about 4 years, he always remembered and talked about the famous Alexandrian duo, Raya and Sakina, who spread terror among women at that time. He also witnessed WWII and survived a World War II air raid by taking shelter in a bunker

Pre-fame

The young Partamian worked in several jobs, including working at the Salon Vert in Alexandria. His mechanic boss asked him to deliver the Isotta Fraschini car to its owner, the Turkish ambassador, and he drove it fearfully and carefully. He also worked at an early age, perhaps twenty-one, at the U.S. Army Hakstep factory for tanks and tyres

Despite the momentum of childhood and youth events, he was cultured and educated enough to speak seven languages, which helped him join theatre and opera as an actor and singer and leave an imprint whose impact is still present

Opera career

Partamian joined Cairo Opera House early and became one of the prominent singers as he sang at the wedding of King Farouk I and Queen Narriman in 1951. Also, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of AGBU, in the presence of His Holiness Catholicos Vasken 1st, who was visiting Cairo, he and Anna Neshanian sang solos

The above is the tip of the iceberg as he joined the two shows of Opera Aida in Luxor, sang Carmina Burana with choral around the 50s to its creator Carl Orff, and sang in St. Gregory the Illuminator Church and St. Joseph downtown Church. His relationship with opera was not limited only to work; he also hosted Italian maestros and tenors at his home

Life is not always as fair as usual; he witnessed the Opera House fire, which was opened on November 1, 1869, and was marred by a major fire on October 28, 1971. It was considered the first opera house in Africa and the Middle East

Talented family

On December 2, 1951, Krikor got married to Eliz Hadjenlian-Partamian, the Impasto Master. Two children were born in their family: Nairy (born in 1953) and Raffi (born in 1958)

Global artistic tours

Partamian’s fame extended outside the Egyptian country, as he met the famous Soviet Armenian musician Aram Khachaturian, who composed musical pieces highlighting the depth of friendship between Egypt and the Soviet Union. He was also honoured in Armenia in the company of Norair Deuvletian

Besides, he performed a singing and theatrical concert for the Armenian community in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 1967. Also, he travelled to Iran to sign famous Armenian singer Manuel Menengichian for a concert at the Armenian New Year Reveillon. During one of his artistic tours, Partamian almost got killed by militias in Lebanon in 1976 on his way to Germany for Miss Paris

Partamian’s life was full of many happy events; it was not limited to art and work only. He was a social person who loved sports and scouting. He played basketball with Brother Vasken at the Near East Armenian Club, Shoubra-Cairo, and he was also a scout team member and won medals. Partamian also participated in planting trees in Al-Badrasheen with the Armenian community

Caricature and Media

Saroukhan, the famous cartoonist, gave him a caricature representing him holding the papers for his plays in one hand and musical notes in the other, as theatre and opera were the sources of Partamian’s passion

In honour of his role and career, he was hosted by the late media personality Samia Al-Etrebi on her programme, Hakawi Al-Qahwi, directed by Yahya Tadros. He was interviewed as an eyewitness to the fire in Cairo and the Cairo Opera House in a documentary with a group of opera artists