People’s Artist of Armenia and stage director Nikolay Tsaturyan has died, the Union of Theater Workers of Armenia said. He was 81.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of People’s Artist of Armenia, director Nikolay Tsaturyan. We extend our deepest condolences to Nikolay Tsaturyan’s relatives and colleagues. Additional information on the memorial service will be provided,” the statement said.

A government commission will be set up for Tsaturyan’s funeral, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a condolence message over Nikolay Tsaturyan’s death.

“With deep sorrow, I learned of the death of People’s Artist of Armenia Nikolay Tsaturyan. Nikolay Tsaturyan’s creative path was one of the finest expressions of combining life and work; for years he served Armenian theater with exceptional dedication.

His role and contribution to Armenia’s cultural life, and to educating and shaping a new generation of Armenian theater, are invaluable.

He was not only a master stage director but also a devoted educator who passed on his rich experience and knowledge to generations, shaping a distinctive taste characteristic of theater and cinema. His theatrical works, including ‘Apricot Tree,’ ‘The Time of Your Life’ and ‘And Three Chairs Fell from the Sky,’ have rightly enriched our theatrical culture.

At the same time, I would like to emphasize Nikolay Tsaturyan’s role as an intellectual who spoke with sharp and truthful words, always raising issues and questions of concern to the people.

On behalf of the Government of Armenia and personally, I extend my deepest condolences to Nikolay Tsaturyan’s family, relatives, colleagues, as well as to all admirers of Armenian theater,” the message said.

Nikolay Tsaturyan was born on January 8, 1945, in Yerevan.

At Yerevan’s Hayfilm studio, he worked with Henrik Malyan, Frunze Dovlatyan and Vardan Ajemyan, and was also second director on the films “We Are Our Mountains,” “Saroyan Brothers” and “The Rock.” As an intern, he also worked at Mosfilm on a film by Yuli Raizman.

For about 20 years, he worked as a director at the G. Sundukyan National Academic Theatre in Yerevan, staging around 25 productions, including V. Davtyan’s “Apricot Tree,” W. Saroyan’s “The Time of Your Life,” A. Ostrovsky’s “Mad Money,” Beaumarchais’ “The Marriage of Figaro,” M. Shatrov’s “Blue Horses on Red Grass,” A. Aghasaryan’s “Save Our Souls” and other works.

Nikolay Tsaturyan taught for many years at the acting studio attached to the G. Sundukyan Theatre.

For about 12 years, from 1992 to 2004, he headed Yerevan’s Metro Theatre, staging A. Aghasaryan’s “Willy, Titi, Jig, and All Three for One Girl,” Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit,” M. Pagnol’s “Topaze” and H. Margaryan’s “And Three Chairs Fell from the Sky.”

From 1973, he taught at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography. He also staged productions in Moscow, Kyiv, Georgia, Beirut and New York.

For around 20 years, he worked with Aleppo’s Petros Adamyan theater troupe, staging 22 productions. He appeared in the films “Incident” and “Comrade Panjuni,” directed by A. Manaryan.

In 2004, he was appointed artistic director of the V. Achemyan State Drama Theatre in Gyumri, and from 2014 served as artistic adviser at the same theater.

Nikolay Tsaturyan worked with such prominent actors as Metaksya Simonyan, Sos Sargsyan, Frunz (Mher) Mkrtchyan and Karen Janibekyan.

Among his best productions are Kalinoski’s “Beast on the Moon,” F. Dürrenmatt’s “Hercules and the Augean Stables,” A. Kalantaryan’s “Boomerang,” K. Khodikyan’s “How the Woman Ran Away from Home,” H. Margaryan’s “And Three Chairs Fell from the Sky,” G. Sundukyan’s “The Power of Money,” V. Krasnogorov’s “Love Casting,” S. Kosyan’s “Flight,” W. Gibson’s “The Miracle Worker” and A. Aghasaryan’s “A Girl with Three Names.”