National Library opens exhibition timed to World Theatre Day

The Azerbaijan National Library has presented an exhibition dedicated to World Theatre Day.

The book exhibition showcases publications about the lives and works of outstanding personalities who left their mark on the history of theatrical art, Azernews reports. The exhibition will be on display for a week.

World Theatre Day is an international professional holiday for all theatre workers, celebrated annually on March 27.

The Day was established in 1961 on the initiative of delegates of the IX Congress of the International Theatre Institute of UNESCO.

It is a professional holiday for theatre workers: actors, theatre directors, producers, lighting engineers, sound engineers, set installers, etc.

Azerbaijani theatrical art has gone through a long and rich path of development.

The National Theatre was created in the 1870s at the initiative of prominent playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov.

Adventures of the Lankaran Khanate Vizier was the first dramatic work played on the stage of the Azerbaijani theatre. Its premiere took place on March 10, 1873, at the initiative of Azerbaijani print media founder Hasan-bay Zardabi and dramatist and public figure Najaf-bay Vazirov.

Eminent cultural and public figures, like Hasan bay Zardabi, Najaf bay Vazirov, Jalil Mammadguluzada, Jafar Jabbarli, Ilyas Afandiyev, Huseyn Arablinski, and many others, played an invaluable role in the formation and development of the Azerbaijani theatre.

So, March 10 is traditionally celebrated as National Theatre Day in Azerbaijan.

In the 1980s, the Azerbaijani theatre experienced a period of remarkable artistic development. This era witnessed significant advancements in terms of stylistic and genre diversity, contributing to the theater's overall artistic growth.

In the 1980s, Azerbaijani theater underwent a period of significant artistic growth, characterized by advancements in stylistic and genre diversity. This era saw the introduction of plays by both modern and classic Azerbaijani writers, as well as works by Russian and international dramatists, leading to a broader repertoire for Azerbaijani theatres.

Azerbaijani theaters expanded their reach by showcasing their productions in countries such as the USA, Turkey, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, and Bulgaria.

The country has also been hosting numerous theater festivals and cultural events to highlight the importance of theater art in Azerbaijani cultural life.