110 years passed since performing Muslim East's first opera Leyli and Majnun

Baku. 12 January. REPORT.AZ/ 110 years have passed since the first performance of Azerbaijani opera Leyli and Majnun by Uzeyir Hajibeyov.

Report informs, the opera considered the Muslim world's first opera is written in 1907. It was performed on 12 January 1908 at the Taghiyev Theatre in Baku.

The opera based on Azerbaijani poet Muhammad Fizuli's poem Layla and Majnun; most parts of the poem remained unchanged. The author of Libretto is Uzeyir Hajibeyov.

He didn’t change poem's main idea content, poems, and at the same time clarified the contradictory environment of the medieval East.Thus, U.Hajibeyov through the images of the past revealed democratic processes that are marked by the tense development of his time.

Mugham opera

Leyli and Majnun opera became the first mugham opera in Azerbaijan. Mughams have replaced traditional opera forms - aria, arioso, recitative, vocal ensembles (duet, trio, etc.) as the main musical of the opera. Mugham plays an important role in the showing heroes' characters and the development of musical drama as a whole. Many opera scenes of the opera were built on Mugham. Singers sing their vocal parties with the accompaniment of tar player.

"Leyli and Majnun" music was the starting point for the creation of new composition style of Uzeyir Hajibeyov.

Opera became a founder of the unique new genre in musical culture of the world, which synthesizes oriental and European musical forms, resembling a dialogue of two musical cultures of East and West.

“Male” role of Leyli

The first performance of the opera was led by Huseyn Arablinski and conductor - Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev.

The female role of Leyli was difficult to fill because religious tradition did not allow women to perform on stage, and no man wanted to take the part. As the story goes, one day Hajibeyov was sitting in a "chaykhana" (tea house) when a tall, good-looking waiter, Abdurrahman Farajev, approached his table bringing tea. Again, he just happened to be singing at his work. But this time, it took a great deal more persuasion to get him to consent to the role.

The first performer of Majnun's role was the outstanding theater and musical figure Huseingulu Sarabski.

The directors of S. Dadashov (1935, 1958), M. Mammadov (1955, 1976), F. Safarov (1994) gave the new structure of the opera.