Gabriel Sundukyan

Gabriel Sundukian (Armenian: Գաբրիել Սունդուկյան (reformed), Գաբրիէլ Սունդուկեան (classical); 11 July 1825 – 29 March 1912) was an Armenian writer and playwright, the founder of modern Armenian drama. Born in Tiflis, in a wealthy Armenian family, Sundukian learned both classical and modern Armenian, French, Italian and Russian, studied at the University of Saint-Petersburg, where he wrote a dissertation on the principles of Persian versification. Then he returned to Tiflis and entered the civil service. In 1854–58 he was banished to Derbend (Dagestan, Russia). In 1863, the Armenian theatre company of Tiflis staged his first play, Sneezing at Night's Good Luck. His well-known play "Pepo" (1871) was made into the first Armenian talkie in 1935. Another famous film based on his work is "Khatabala" (1971). The G. Sundukyan State Academic Theatre in Yerevan is named in his honor.