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Azerbaijani theatre ( az, Azərbaycan teatrı) – is a theatrical art of the
Azerbaijani people Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
.


History

Sources of
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
i theatrical art lie on holidays and dances.Театральная энциклопедия. Азербайджанский театр
Elements of theatrical action are in many types of Azerbaijani people's creativity – in games (“''gizlanpach''” – hide and seek, “''kosaldigach''” – polo game), game songs (“''kepenek''” – butterfly, “''banovsha''” – violet), wedding traditions (“''nishan''” – engagement, “''duvakhgalma''” – taking bride's veil off, “''toy''” – wedding) and holidays (“'' Nowruz''” – spring's coming, “''kev-sej''” – preparation for winter). Collective male dance “yally”, performance of skomorokhs, kandirbazs (rope-walkers), mukhraduzds and mukhrabazs, spectacles of dervish and snake charmers are initial forms of theatrical spectacles. Broadly famed national scenes such as “Kosa-kosa”, “Garavelli”, “Shah Selim”, “Kechal pahlavan”(Bald-headed strong), “Jeyran khanim” (Mrs. Jeyran), “Maral oyunu” (Deer's game), “Kaftarkos” (Hyena), “Khan-khan” (Ruler and judge), “Tapdig choban” (Shepherd Tapdig) and “Tenbel gardash” (Lazy brother) were of great importance in formation of national Azerbaijani theatre. “Kilim arasi” (Out of carpet) puppet theatre, in spectacles of which ugly appearances of everyday life, social inequality and injustice were ridiculed, is an ancient type of Azerbaijani theatrical art. Religious-mystic spectacles were widely spread in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. Dramatized “Shabih” tradition, which was generally held in sorrowful
Muharram Muḥarram ( ar, ٱلْمُحَرَّم) (fully known as Muharram ul Haram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden. It is held to be the second holiest month after R ...
month, is one of spectacles like that.


Origination of the national Azerbaijani theatre - late 19th century, early 20th century

National Azerbaijani theatre was originated in the second half of the 19th century, on the basis of a comedy by
Mirza Fatali Akhundov Mirza Fatali Akhundov ( az, Mirzə Fətəli Axundov; fa, میرزا فتحعلی آخوندزاده), also known as Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, or Mirza Fath-Ali Akhundzadeh (12 July 1812 – 9 March 1878), was a celebrated Azerbaijani author, pla ...
, the first Azerbaijani playwright, prominent thinker and philosopher of Azerbaijan. The first professional spectacle in
Azerbaijani language Azerbaijani () or Azeri (), also referred to as Azeri Turkic or Azeri Turkish, is a Turkic language from the Oghuz sub-branch spoken primarily by the Azerbaijani people, who live mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan where the North Azerbaija ...
was displayed on March 23, 1873. Hasanbay Malikov-Zardabi, pedagogue of real school and Najafgulu bey Vazirov, student of the school were initiators of the spectacle. Students of the real school played “ Adventures of the Lankaran Khanate Vizier” play by M.F.Akhundov on the stage of
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
Public Assembly. The second spectacle – “Haji Gara” (Miser's adventures) - another comedy by M.F.Akhundov was displayed on the hall of Baku Public Assembly, on April 17, 1873. Organization of professional theatre and staging of spectacles in Baku was stopped after the first spectacles. Zardabi was busy with creation of “
Akinchi ''Akinchi'' ( az, Əkinçi, ), also transliterated as ''Ekinchi'' ("The Cultivator"), was the first Azerbaijani-language newspaper, published in Baku (then part of the Russian Empire, now the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan) between 1875 an ...
” newspaper, and Najaf bey Vazirov went to
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
for education. Opening of real school in Shusha in 1881, and elementary female school in 1894, also opening of a musical school by musical critic
Kharrat Gulu Karbalayi Gulu Mahammad oghlu az, Kərbəlayı Qulu Məhəmməd oğlu, 1823–1883) was a musicologist, poet, founder of music school in Shusha. Biography The founder of music school in Shusha, musicologist Karbalayi Gulu was born in 1823. K ...
and involvement of young singers there aroused interest of local intelligentsia in theatre. So, amateurish spectacles were staged by young pedagogues in Shusha, during summer holidays. In the first years, the repertoire consisted of M.F.Akhundov's works. “New education” newspaper wrote on August 17, 1884: By the end of the 19th century, spectacles in Azerbaijani language were staged in province cities such as
Nukha Shaki ( az, Şəki) is a city in northwestern Azerbaijan, surrounded by the district of the same name. It is located on the southern part of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, from Baku. As of 2020, it has a population of 68,400. The center o ...
,
Ganja Ganja (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu ( hi, गांजा, links=no, ur, , links=no, IPA: aːɲd ...
,
Shamakhi Shamakhi ( az, Şamaxı, ) is a city in Azerbaijan and the administrative centre of the Shamakhi District. The city's estimated population was 31,704. It is famous for its traditional dancers, the Shamakhi Dancers, and also for perhaps giving it ...
, Nakhchivan and others. Followers of Akhundov's drama school, Najaf bey Vazirov, Hashim bey Vazirov, Nariman Narimanov,
Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev Abdurrahim bey Asad bey oglu Hagverdiyev ( az, Əbdürrəhim bəy Haqverdiyev) (17 May 1870 – 11 December 1933) was an Azerbaijani playwright, writer and cultural figure, stage director, politician, public figure, one of the five first Azeri Dep ...
,
Jalil Mammadguluzadeh Jalil Huseyngulu oghlu Mammadguluzadeh ( az, Cəlil Məmmədquluzadə; 22 February 1869 – 4 January 1932), was an Azerbaijani people, Azerbaijani satirist and writer. He was the founder of Molla Nasraddin (magazine), ''Molla Nasraddin'', a ...
and
Suleyman Sani Akhundov Suleyman Sani Rzagulu bey oghlu Akhundov ( az, Süleyman Sani Rzaqulu bəy oğlu Axundov; 3 October 1875 – 29 March 1939), was an Azerbaijani playwright, journalist, author, and teacher. He chose the name Sani (Arabic for "the second") to avoid ...
, were organizers of theatrical spectacles. In 1888, a theatrical troupe was created in Baku by active participation of S.M.Ganizade and N.Narimanov. In 1897, the first professional collective – “Muslim Drama Troupe” – was established. Repertoire of pre-revolutionary theatre consisted of works of Azerbaijani playwrights (M.F.Akhundov, N.Vazirov, H.Vazirov, N.Narimanov, A.Hagverdiyev, J.Mammadguluzade and others), and also Russian ( N.V.Gogol, I.S.Turgenev and L.N.Tolstoy) and western European classics (W.Shakespeare,
Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...
and
Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...
). Azerbaijani theatre became the center of spreading of enlightenment and democracy ideas from its first years. Morals of feudal society, oppression and despotism of landlord-capitalistic system, obscurantism and religious fanaticism were unmasked in “Fakhraddin’s tragedy”, “From the rain to shower” plays by N.Vazirov, “Broken nestle”, “Miserable young boy”, “Agha Muhammad Shah” and “Sorceress Peri” plays by A.Hagverdiyev, “Ignorance” and “Nadir Shah” plays by N.Narimanov. In 1908, a united drama troupe, uniting professional actors such as H.Arablinski, S.Ruhulla and A.Veli, was created under “Nijat” charity union. The troupe had a cloakroom and props. Besides that, the troupe displayed spectacles in Taghiyev Theatre and in other regions. Such spectacles as “Agha Muhammad Shah Qajar” by A.Hagverdiyev (1907), “Blacksmith Gave” by S.Sami (1908), “Robbers” (1907); “Deadmen” by J.Mammadguluzade (1916), “Othello” (1910), on which actor and director H.Arablinski had a great success and arts of who was penetrated by revolutionary and romantic inspiration, were significant events in the history of Azerbaijani theatre. In 1919, Azerbaijan State Theatre was created.


Development of Azerbaijani theatre in the Soviet period

All theatres in Azerbaijan were nationalized after establishment of the Soviet power and their repertoire was strictly controlled by authorities. Government united destroyed troupes, listed their actors to government service. National theatre acquired its further development due to financial support of the government. In 1920, a United State Theatre including Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian drama and opera theatres was created. In 1922, Azerbaijani drama troupe was transformed into Academic Drama Theatre. In 1920, a Russian satire-agitation theatre, transformed into Baku Labor Theatre in 1923, was created. Miniatures, revues, parodies to actual socio-political and everyday life themes were staged in the theatre. Along with these, stage versions of classic literature (“The Overcoat” by N.V.Gogol, “The little house in Kolomna”, “
The Tale of the Priest and of His Workman Balda "The Tale of the Priest and of his Workman Balda" (russian: «Сказка о попе и о работнике его Балде», Skazka o pope i o rabotnike yego Balde) is a fairy tale in verse by Alexander Pushkin. Pushkin wrote the tale ...
” by A.S.Pushkin, “ The Grand Inquisitor” by F.M.Dostoyevski, “The Mask”, “Pharmacist” by Chekhov and others) were included into its repertoire. In 1921, Azerbaijani satire-agitation theatre was created, on the basis of which Azerbaijani worker-peasant theatre of Baku transferred into Turkish Labor Theatre of Baku in 1927, was established in 1925. In 1928-1930,
Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в;  – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...
Azerbaijan State Theatre of Young Spectators and in 1938, Azerbaijan State Theatre of Musical Comedy was established. In 1922, M.F.Akhundov Azerbaijan State Theatre of Young Spectators of Tbilisi was created on the basis of Azerbaijani Theatre of
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...
and it existed until 1947. In 1928, Azerbaijani Theatre was organized in Irevan - it was the first theatre of other nation in Armenia.
Важным событием явилась организация в Ереване в 1928 году Азербайджанского театра — первого театра другого народа на территории Армении.


Azerbaijani Musical Theatre

Popularity of theatre among nation and development of national Azerbaijani instruments favored formation of a new form of theatrical art – musical theatre. One-acted scenic images to poems such as “Leyli and Majnun” by
Fuzûlî Mahammad bin Suleyman ( Classical Azerbaijani: ), better known by his pen name Fuzuli ( az-Arab, فضولی ; ; * ota, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی ; * fa, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی .  – 1556), was a 16th century ...
and “Farhad and Shirin” by Navai were displayed in 1897-1898, in Shusha and in 1901-1902, in Baku. On January 12, 1908 the first national “
Leyli and Majnun ''Layla & Majnun'' ( ar, مجنون ليلى ; Layla's Mad Lover) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Bedouin poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his ladylove Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla ...
” opera by Uzeyir Hajibeyov was staged in Baku. History of professional musical theatre of Azerbaijan was originated since that time. Initially, repertoire of Azerbaijani Musical Theatre consisted of works by U.Hajibeyov, who created “Leyli and Majnun”, “ Shaikh Sanan”, “ Rostam and Sohrab” “ Shah Abbas and Khurshid Banu” operas, and also such musical comedies as “Husband and wife”, “
If Not That One, Then This One ''If Not That One, Then This One'' (; ), also known as ''Mashadi Ibad'' (; ) is a 1910 Azerbaijani operetta in four acts written by composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov. The comedy reflects social and everyday life relations in prerevolutionary Azerbaijan ...
” and “ Arshin mal alan” musical comedies in 1908-1913. Soon, the repertoire of the musical theatre was enriched with new works by Z.Hajibeyov (“Ashiq Garib” opera” and “Fifty years old young” and “Married bachelor” musical comedies), “ Shah Ismayil” opera by M.Magomayev, “Molla Jabi” and “Vurhavur” musical comedies by M.M.Kazimski, “Seyfalmulk” opera by M.Amirov and others.


References

{{Europe in topic, Theatre in Azerbaijani-language works