Khumar Rza gizi Zulfugarova ( az, Xumar Rza qızı Zülfüqarova;15 November 1927, Baku – 2 July 2017, Baku) was an Azerbaijani dancer, choreographer, founder of the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble. She was awarded the title

Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (; ) was an honorary title awarded by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR) and was one of the forms of recognition by the state and society of the mer ...

(1959),

People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR People's, branded as ''People's Viennaline'' until May 2018, and legally ''Altenrhein Luftfahrt GmbH'', is an Austrian airline headquartered in Vienna. It operates scheduled and charter passenger flights mainly from its base at St. Gallen-Alten ...

(1979), and Chevalier of the

Order of Glory Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

(2009).

Life

Khumar Zulfugarova was born on 15 November 1927 in Baku in the family of prominent theatre and film actor Rza Afganli. In 1945, she graduated from the Baku School of Choreography. From 1945 to 1966, Zulfugarova was a soloist of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. Since 1950, she began teaching at the Baku School of Choreography. During 60 years of teaching, Zulfugarova educated several generations of dancers and choreographers.

Career

In 1958, Zulfugarova was invited to star in the Georgian film "Mamluk" where she performed an Arabic dance surrounded by six soloists of the Georgian Opera and Ballet Theater. In 1959, she was invited to stage and dance a solo in the new production by

Uzeyir Hajibeyov Uzeyir bey Abdulhuseyn oghlu Hajibeyov ( az, Üzeyir bəy Əbdülhüseyn oğlu Hacıbəyov; russian: Узеир Абдул-Гусейн оглы Гаджибеков, translit=Uzeir Abdul-Guseyn ogly Gadzhibekov; September 18, 1885November 23, 19 ...

for the "Days of Azerbaijani culture" in Moscow and had a great success there. Upon her arrival from Moscow in Baku, Zulfugarova was awarded a title of Honored Artist of Azerbaijan. From 1966 to 1978, Zulfugarova was a soloist and artistic director of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic. She was the creator of the State Dance Ensemble (1969-1978). Zulfugarova developed a dance program, with which the ensemble toured in Ukraine, Denmark, France, etc. Zulfugarova was the first chief choreographer of the State Association of Tours and Concerts (1978-1988). Zulfugarova danced in Uzeyir Hajibeyli's opera " Koroglu", performed in

Gara Garayev Gara Abulfaz oghlu Garayev ( az, Qara Əbülfəz oğlu Qarayev, russian: Кара́ Абульфа́зович Кара́ев (Kara Abulfazovich Karayev), February 5, 1918 – May 13, 1982), also spelled as Qara Qarayev or Kara Karayev, was a pr ...

's ballet "

Seven beauties ''Seven Beauties'' ( it, Pasqualino Settebellezze, "Pasqualino Sevenbeauties") is a 1975 Italian language film written and directed by Lina Wertmüller and starring Giancarlo Giannini, Fernando Rey, and Shirley Stoler. Written by Wertmüller, the ...

" and acted in movies. She performed as a dancer in the operas "

Shah Ismail Ismail I ( fa, اسماعیل, Esmāʿīl, ; July 17, 1487 – May 23, 1524), also known as Shah Ismail (), was the founder of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, ruling as its King of Kings (''Shahanshah'') from 1501 to 1524. His reign is often c ...

", " Ashig Garib", "Asli and Karam", " Leyli and Majnun". She toured in various cities in Russia, Iraq, the United States and Canada, and has demonstrated and promoted professional Azerbaijani dance. In 1979, Zulfugarova was awarded a title of

. Since 1992, Zulfugarova was an artistic director of the Dzhangi ensemble. The ensemble took part in Fuzuli's anniversary in Baghdad in 1994, toured the United States (New York, Chicago, Washington) and Canada (Toronto and Montreal) in 1995. In 2009, Zulfugarova was awarded the Shohrat Order (Order of Glory). Having worked over 60 years, she retired in 2011. Khumar Zulfugarova died on 2 July 2017 in Baku at the age of 89. In November 2017, Zulfugarova's 90th anniversary was celebrated at the Azerbaijan State Theatre Museum.

Filmography

* Fatali khan (film, 1947) * Mamluk (film, 1958) * Arshin mal alan (film, 1965)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zulfugarova, Khumar 1927 births 2017 deaths Azerbaijani female dancers Women choreographers Azerbaijani choreographers People's Artists of Azerbaijan Recipients of the Shohrat Order People from Baku Honored Artists of the Azerbaijan SSR