- Associated Press - Thursday, December 9, 2010

YEREVAN, ARMENIA (AP) - Operas are no stranger to melodrama, but it usually doesn’t involve an elected official.

Gagik Beglarian, the mayor of the Armenia’s capital, resigned Wednesday after punching a presidential aide in the face in a quarrel over seating at a Placido Domingo concert.

To make matters worse, the victim was a member of the presidential protocol department.

Armenian media say Beglarian launched the attack after learning that the official had asked the mayor’s wife to surrender her concert seat next to Armenian President Serge Sarkisian.

Presidential spokesman Armen Arzumanian called Beglarian’s conduct unacceptable.

It wasn’t clear if Beglarian’s wife sought the seat to be close to the president or the performance by the Spanish tenor.

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