Sheki hosts International Theater Festival

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Sheki, one of the most ancient settlements and cultural centres of Azerbaijan hosts The Uch Mekan International Theater Festival.

The festival that opens the 144th theatre season in the country will last until September 24.

The magnificent event, which covers such cities as Baku, Sheki, Mingachevir, brings together the theatre troupes from Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Iran, Ukraine and the UAE.

Azerbaijan is represented at the event by the State Academic Drama Theater, State Russian Drama Theater, State Puppet Theater, Shaki State Drama Theater and Ganja State Drama Theater.

During the festival, theatre lovers will be delighted by twelve performances. Eight of them will be staged in Sheki. Another three will be presented in Mingachevir, while the last one will be shown in Baku.

The solemn opening ceremony of the Festival was attended by organizers, TURKSOY representatives, renowned theater and art figures, guests and theater lovers.

Prior to the opening ceremony, the participants in the festival visited Azerbaijan’s national leader Heydar Aliyev’s statute erected in front of the building of Shaki Executive Authority, put flowers and revered his memory.

Then, the event participants viewed the photo-stand depicting theatrical art samples.

The opening ceremony was addressed by the head of Shaki Executive Authority Elkhan Usubov, Azerbaijan’s deputy minister of culture and tourism Adalet Veliyev, who spoke of the history and development of the Azerbaijani national theater, the first theater and the first opera that was staged in the Muslim East. They stressed that the theatrical art of Azerbaijani people is rooted in the ancient folk festivals and dances.

Then, guests were presented the "Dead" play by great writer Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, the editor of satirical magazine "Molla Nasraddin".

The history of Azerbaijan theater started with spectacles "Vizier of Lankaran khan" and "Hadji Gara", based on plays Mirza Fatali Akhundov in March-April 1873.

These first amateur performances staged by students of real school by initiative of Hasan-bay Zardabi and with the active participation of the Najaf-bay Vezirov and Alekber Adigezalov have become a powerful impetus for the establishment of a national theater.