Aram Khachaturian (1903–1978), the Soviet Armenian composer who fused Western classical forms with Armenian and Caucasian folk traditions, wrote the legendary "Sabre Dance" from his ballet Gayane — premiered December 9, 1942 in Perm — in a single creative sprint of eleven hours after the Kirov Ballet director requested one more dance. The piece became one of the most recognizable works of 20th-century classical music.
417Notable Armenians
