Yerevan to Host Armenia’s First Concert in Total Darkness — Audience Members Will See Nothing

A concert where the audience will see nothing — not the stage, the musicians or even the person beside them — will be held in Yerevan this month as part of an effort to turn inclusion into a lived experience.

The “Concert in Total Darkness,” being staged in Armenia for the first time, will take place Aug. 26 during the 13th Fresco International Festival.

Audience members will enter a completely darkened space with no screens, stage lights or other visual cues. People with visual impairments will guide them through the venue, reversing the way public spaces are usually experienced.

Organizers say the idea is to place sighted visitors in an unfamiliar environment where they must rely on sound, touch and the help of others to move safely.

“Inclusion is one of the key missions of the Fresco Festival, and this project provides an opportunity to turn that idea into a direct experience,” festival artistic director Anna Karapetyan said.

She said the setting is intended to help participants think more closely about accessibility and the challenges people with visual impairments face in spaces designed largely for the sighted.

The darkness will also shape the performance itself. The audience will not be told who is playing and will not see the musicians until the lights are turned on at the end of the concert.

By removing the performers’ appearance, stage design and lighting from the experience, organizers want listeners to focus entirely on the music.

The event is organized by the Special Creative Center for Children, a state nonprofit organization, with support from Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Hall of the Union of Architects, 17 Baghramyan Ave. in Yerevan. Admission is free.

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