Heydar Aliyev Palace premieres teleopera

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Heydar Aliyev Palace has been premiered Afrasiyab Badalbeyli's teleopera "Nizami".

The teleopera was presented within the Year of Nizami Ganjavi to celebrate the poet's 880th anniversary, Trend Life repored.

Honored Artists Ramil Gasimov (author) Inara Babayeva (stage director), as well as Rza Khosrovzade, Elmir Rustamov, Mahir Tagizade and Emin Ismayilov played in the new production.

Directed by People's Artist of the USSR Farhad Badalbeyli, the teleopera brought together Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev (conductor), Honored Artist Jeyhun Gubadov (choreographer), Honored Art Worker Sevil Hajiyeva ( chief choirmaster). The teleopera aroused great interest among viewers.

The project was implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Palace with the support of the Culture Ministry, BEAT Group, VISA and Stamperia print companies, the Confederation of Trade Unions and the Azerbaijan Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Agency with the participation of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater and the State Song and Dance Ensemble.

History behind teleopera

In 1939, national composer Afrasiyab Badalbeyli was ordered to write an opera  in connection with Nizami's 800th anniversary.

However, the  premiere of the opera was postponed due to the Great Patriotic War.

Finally, the opera premiered in 1948 at the Azerbaijan Opera and Ballet Theater. The libretto was based on the novel by Mamed Said Ordubadi "Sword and feather", where  the events mainly unfold in Ganja of the 11-12th centuries.

The author of the music and libretto Afrasiyab Badalbeyli presented a social and moral drama which showed all the challenges of the ruler and the poet, the fate of the people and much more.

The opera brilliantly shows many contradictions like love, freedom, oppression and violence.

Azerbaijani opera tenor Murtuza Mammadov (Bulbul) performed the main role in the opera. This was his fifteenth role, but the artist was faced with a difficult creative task.

The difficulty was that history did not convey to us the image of Nizami.  The poet's image was only reflected in the work "Leyli and Majnun".

In fact, for the first time in history, the image of Nizami was presented on the theater stage

The image of the great poet was complemented by a turban and white costume.

With great enthusiasm, Bulbul performed his part, his voice poured widely and freely.

After the triumph in Baku in 1949, the opera was presented during the Days of Culture of Azerbaijani Musical Art in Moscow.

This opera also featured such prominent figures as Sona Mustafayeva, Fatma Mukhtarova, Aghababa Bunyadzade, Boyukaga Mustafayev and many others who performed under the baton of Afrasiyab Badalbeyli.

After the premiere, Bulbul included in his concert program the best number of the opera - Nizami's aria "Fakhriye", very emotional and full of courageous expression.

When creating music, Afrasiyab Badalbeyli used folk melodies, mugham, choral art and motifs of European opera. Moreover, to display the image of Nizami, he actively used the interaction of the epic and lyrical principles.

After the premiere, Bulbul included in his concert program the best number of the opera - Nizami's aria "Fakhriye", very emotional and full of courageous expression.