The Yerevan State Theatre and Film Institute (YSTFI; Armenian: Երևանի թատրոնի և կինոյի պետական ինստիտուտ) is a state university and higher education institution based in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.[1][2][3][4]
The university was founded in 1944 as the Yerevan State Institute of Theatrical Arts.[5] In 1953, it was united with the State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia and functioned as a part of the Yerevan State Institute of Art and Theater until 1994. In 1994 the Yerevan State Institute of Art and Theater was divided into the State Academy of Fine Arts and Yerevan State Institute of Theater.[6] The institute became independent and is now the Yerevan State Theatre and Film Institute.[1]
History
Theater in Armenia has a centuries-old history and dates back to pagan rituals, for example, worship of death and resurrection of God Gisane – Ara the Beautiful[7] and celebration of coming of spring in honor of fertility and healing goddess Anahit. Armenian tragedy dzajnarku-gusan and vohbergak, comedy genre katakergak and kataka-gusan, known from 1 century b.c., served as a base for further development of professional theater.[8]
The institute was established in 1944, as the Yerevan State Institute of Theatrical Arts.[5] The institute had three departments:
acting skill
directing
drama studies
From 1950 the number of enrollees had been declining (because of the WWII[9]). Due to that the government decided to merge two institutes - the Yerevan State Institute of Theatrical Arts and the State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia. As a result, in 1953 the new institute was formed and was named the Yerevan State Institute of Art and Theater until 1994.[6]
In 1999, the institute was restructured and became known as the Yerevan State Theatre and Film Institute, with a major expansion in its specialties.[1]
Specialties
The university has 12 main specialties:
Acting: actor or actress in drama or musical theater, pantomime, puppetry, television and circus.
Chair was established in 1944. Academic program includes following subjects:
History of Armenian literature
History of Russian literature
Armenian language
Russian language
Foreign language
Philosophy
Mythology
Literary theory
Linguistics
History of religions
Psychology of art
Culturology
Rituals
In 2014, the part-time faculty was founded for distance education with the specialties of Choreography Directing, Cinematographic Art and Sociocultural Activity.[14]
Educational programs
As of 2015, 795 students are enrolled in the head university and 214 students in the branches. The university has two options of educational process for two-level degree (bachelor and master, 4 and 2 years accordingly):
full-time
extramural.
There are also postgraduate studies (full-time and extramural).
The institute collaborates with several international universities. Students participate in state and international art competitions, festivals and often become laureates and prize-winners.
The educational process is organized in specialized auditoriums, workshops, pavilions, cinema and video halls. There are 225 places in student theater. This is repertory theater, that operates all year round. The institutes hold a rich collection of more than 40,000 specialized books in its library, as well as films and videos. The institute publishes a monthly journal Handes (Armenian: «Հանդես») that includes scientific and methodological articles of professors and students.
Branches
The institute has branches in three cities of the Republic:
The Gyumri Branch was founded by the governmental decision No.231 in 1997. It is the only higher educational institution in the field of theater working in the Shirak Province.
Educational process is held on the following specialties:
acting (actor in drama theatre and cinema)
director of drama theater
TV director
camera operator (cinema operator)
choreography
scenography (set decorator)
Around 110 students are studying in the university (both full-time and extramural). Since 2007–2008 academic year the university provides two-stage educational programs – bachelor's and master's degree. The university implemented academic credit system. Educational process is organized based on plans and programs approved by the head university and in compliance with the up-to-date regulations.
Chairs:
Acting and directing
Cinematography
Art history
Social sciences
Substantial part of educational process is student theater. The institute hold specialized competitions – scenic speech, singing, dance, “best duet acting”, “best directing work”, “best photography.” After completing courses students find jobs in Gyumri Drama Theater named after V. Ajemian, Gyumri Puppetry Theater named after S. Alikhanian, tele and radio companies. Many students continue their education in post-graduate programs. There is a preparatory department.
The Institute in Vanadzor
The Vanadzor Branch was founded by the governmental decision No.1283 in 2003. Specialties:
Acting – 6 students
Directing – 6 students
In the 2005–2006 academic year, the department of cinematography was opened. In 2008–2009, the departments of choreography and camera operator, in 2010–2011, art administration and in 2011-2012 masters programs in the fields of acting, directing and cinematography were opened.
By 2012, 55 students and in 2012 – 16 students have graduated from the institute. Currently 78 students are enrolled in the university.
The Institute in Goris
The Goris branch was founded by the governmental decision No.547 in 2004. In 2007 the institute was registered.
Educational process is held on the following specialties:
Acting
Directing
Choreography
Camera operator.
First application process was held only at the acting department. In 2004–2005 academic year 10 students enrolled in the institute, 2005-2006 – 9 students, 2006-2007 – 5 students, 2007-2008 – 8 students, 2008-2009 – 4 students, 2009-2010 – 7 students, 2010-2011 – 4 students, 2011-2012 – 12 students. Now 25 students are studying in the institute.
The following performances were stages as final works:
At the theater festival in Lori, students of the university took prizes in following categories:
Best ensemble
Best young actor
Best young actress
Rectorate and academic staff
Academic staff of the university includes best artists of the Republic, who are known not only in the country but even far beyond – popular artists, laureates of international contests, State Prizes in addition to 39 professors, 38 docents, 102 lecturers and teachers.
^"ГИСАНЭ - в армянской мифологии умирающий и воскресающий бог животворящей природы, ипостась Диониса. Другое наименование - Ара Прекрасный. Служители в храме Г. назывались гусаны. Это наименование перешло в эллинистич. Армении на актёров, т. к. театральное искусство было связано с культом предков. Обряд погребения Г. с участием гусанов был перенесён в церемонии похорон представителей знати. Дзайнарку-гусаны (оплакивающие) изображали подвиги усопшего "пением, показом и танцем под звуки пандпра" (Мовсес Хоренаци, 5 в.). До 18 в. армянские актёры сохраняли культовый атрибут Г. - головной убор, изображавший хвост кометы." — Театральная энциклопедия. Гл. ред. С. С. Мокульский (до 1961 г.), П. А. Марков (с 1963 г.) (1967) [1961]. "Том 1". ГИСАНЭ. М.: Советская энциклопедия. Серия: Энциклопедии. Словари. Справочники. pp. 1214 стр. с илл., 12 л. илл.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link).
^"Армянский театр" (in Russian). Театральная энциклопедия. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
