''Maiden Tower'' is the first

Azerbaijani ballet Azerbaijani ballet ( az, Azərbaycan baleti) is the training methods and aesthetic qualities seen in classical ballet in Azerbaijan. History The Azerbaijani ballet originated in 1940, with the creation of the '' Maiden Tower'' ballet by Afrasi ...

Музыкальная энциклопедия. Гл. ред. Ю. В. Келдыш. Т 1. А — Гонг. 1072 стб. с илл. М.: Советская энциклопедия, 1973 and the first ballet in the

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

Eastern countries. It consists of three acts with a prologue and epilogue.

Afrasiyab Badalbeyli Afrasiyab Badal bey oghlu Badalbeyli ( az, Əfrasiyab Bədəl bəy oğlu Bədəlbəyli) (19 April 1907, in Baku – 6 January 1976, in Baku) was a Soviet Azerbaijani composer, with noble Iranian origins (he was the descendant of Bahman Mirza an ...

is the author of the music and libretto. The premiere took place on 18 April 1940 at the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, and a new version of the ballet was presented on 24 October 1999.This new version did not include the Soviet propaganda the previous version did. Yulana Alikishizade was the author of the new version. Madina Aliyeva and Gulaghasi Mirzoyev danced the main parts.

Farhad Badalbeyli Farhad Shamsi oghlu Badalbeyli ( az, Fərhad Şəmsi oğlu Bədəlbəyli; born 1947) is an Azerbaijani pianist and composer. He was awarded the title, People's Artists of the Azerbaijan SSR (1978), the People's Artist of the USSR (1990), and lau ...

was the author of the revised score. Members of

Azerbaijan State Song and Dance Ensemble The Azerbaijan State Song and Dance Ensemble was created in 1938 by Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the founder of classic Azerbaijani music. Composers such as Said Rustamov, Jahangir Jahangirov, Vasif Adigozalov, Haji Khanmammadov, Telman Hajiyev and Ra ...

under the guidance of Afag Malikova took part in the performance.

Plot

The story begins with Khan Jhahangir coming back to the palace from the battle. One of many wives of the khan was pregnant before he left, and the khan was expecting a male heir. But the child was a girl, so the khan ordered the execution of the baby. Princess Gulyanag is raised as an unwanted child, away from the eyes of the khan until she reaches maturity. By then, she has a lover named Polad. But the khan sees the now 17 years old Gulyanag, and not realizing that she is his daughter, falls in love with her. Starting from here, the two versions of the play start to diverge, before connecting at the end. In the first version, upon learning of her loves, the khan separates Gulyanag from Polad by locking her in a tower. Polad find the tower eventually, but the khan is also there to marry Gulyanag. Polad and Khan Jhahangir battle and Polad wins. Polad climbs the stairs of the tower and Gulyanag hears the steps. She thinks that it is the Khan coming to get her instead of Polad and throws herself off the window of the tower to the sea, falling to her death. In the revised version, the Khan forces Gulyanag to marry him. But the princess refuses, and tells the khan she won't marry him until he builds her a tower, to gain time. This shows the smart leading female character, not shown in the previous Soviet version. When the tower is finished, the Khan locks her in the tower and starts preparations for the wedding. But Polad finds him in the palace and kills the khan before making his way to the tower. Gulyanag, knowing the Khan was preparing for the wedding, upon hearing the rushed footsteps, assumes the person is the Khan instead of her lover, coming to reunite with her. She, again, jumps off the window of the tower and to her death. Polad reaches the top of the tower with no trace of Gulyanag. Realizing his lover died, he mourns her.

References

{{Reflist Compositions by Afrasiyab Badalbeyli 1940 ballet premieres Azerbaijani culture Ballet in Azerbaijan