Singing for Cilicia: Russian rock star in Armenia to save replica medieval ship
By Karine Ionesyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Published: 22 June, 2009 Article tools printable version email to friend comments (1) share the article A legendary Russian rock band lead singer drank to all sailors health as he performed a popular maritime ballad in an open-air concert in Yerevan. Andrey Makarevich performed in support of Armenias replica medieval merchant vessel Cilicia, now brought ashore following several international voyages.
Makarevich, a veteran bard with the Soviet-era iconic Time Machine band, Saturday evening joined the crew of the Cilicia anchored off Matenadaran, an ancient manuscripts depositary in downtown Yerevan where the vessels idea was originally conceived. The singer called on several hundred fans to help him keep Cilicia from sinking.
The Russian star sang songs for an Armenian cause.
The Cilicia is a replica of a 13th-century Cilician trade vessel. A group of enthusiasts began its construction 18 years ago on the basis of manuscripts preserved in Matenadaran. The ship made an unprecedented trip around Europe in 2004-2006, covering a distance of more than 1,500 miles. It sailed nine seas and visited 62 ports in 25 countries in Europe and Asia.
The ship returned to landlocked Armenia in 2006 and for some time went on display in the capitals main square. Since then the Cilicia has sailed along the asphalt roads of Yerevan and Echmiadzin, weathering environmental challenges that specialists say will cause it to decay soon.
I am sure that no large sums of money are needed to create a museum, said Makarevich, 55. If the authorities respond with silence and indifference, which always saddens me, it is possible to organize a popular fund-raising, which, naturally, is shameful.
Makarevich proposed cooperation between Armenias authorities and friends of the Cilicia challenge. The singer himself was the first to offer $500 for a collection of the Cilicia voyage records on compact discs.
We must preserve this historical value in the name of the dreams that will be fulfilled by the coming generations, since it was our dream that became a reality, said Cilicia skipper Karen Balayan, adding that the global economic crisis has been the basic reason for state officials to fail to help financially.
An estimated $30,000 is needed to repair the ship and some $1,500 will be enough annually for maintaining it in good condition. The Cilicia men say if a museum becomes available, the cost of maintenance will be much less.
Problems in Armenia are not solved because of stupidity and ignorance and it is simply shameful that another countrys artist comes to promote the solution of our problem, that is to save the brightest reality of our independence, said popular Armenian folk singer Vahan Artsruni, who attended the concert.
Makarevich expressed a hope that the construction of the museum will have been started by the time he and his band visit Yerevan with a concert in September. It will be Time Machines first concert in Armenia in 20 years.
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