Play dedicated to Nasimi staged within Silk Road Int'l Music Festival

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The play "Dedication to Nasimi" timed to the 650th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet Imadaddin Nasimi and the Year of Nasimi in the country has been staged as part of the 10th Silk Road International Music Festival in Shaki.

In her speech, Firangiz Alizade, the festival's artistic director, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Composers Union and author of the play, noted that Nasimi’s poetic heritage, which occupies one of the main places in the cultural treasury of the East, is a bright artistic heritage of the Azerbaijani people. 

“Thus, the announcement of 2019 by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev the Year of Nasimi has become the source of a new wave in the study of the life and work of the brilliant poet, in the revival of interest in his personality and poetry,” she noted.

Alizade added that the image of Nasimi, his tragic fate, deep, invaluable artistic heritage, reflecting the breadth and humanism of his views, have always attracted the attention of Azerbaijani artists who created numerous paintings, sculptures, etc.

In her work, Firangiz Alizade brilliantly synthesized the classical and traditional music. Ancient musical instruments and modern video installations add special charm to the play and makes it even more memorable.

In the ballet performance by the well-known choreographer Nailya Mammadzade, the role of Nasimi was performed by the soloist of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater Anar Mikayilov, while honored artist Alsu Gimadiyeva and Dinara Yenaliyeva played the forces of good and honored artist Farid Ibrahimov and Rufat Shafiyev played the evil forces. 

Famous mugham singer, People’s Artist Teyyub Aslanov, as well as talented violinists, laureates of international competitions Elvin Ganiyev, Elina Drukh, cellist Orkhan Huseynov also took part in the play. The audience gave them a round of applause. 

The 10th Silk Road International Music Festival will last until July 3. Famous music bands and theater troupes, talented musicians from Turkey, Russia, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are taking part in the festival jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Composers Union, the Ministry of Culture and Shaki Executive Power.

Imadeddin Nasimi was the great Azerbaijani poet and eminent figure in the poetry and philosophical thought of the Orient. He was the founder of a school of philosophical poetry in the Azerbaijani language.

Known mostly by his pen name Nasimi, he created a number of works in Azerbaijani, Persian and Arabic.

His poetry is rooted in the social, political and cultural development of the countries of the Near and Middle East, and especially of his homeland, Azerbaijan.

Having thought his life, the poet wrote about 300 poems, including ghazals, qasidas (lyrics), and rubais (quatrains).

His “Turkic Divan” is considered his most important work, which contains 250-300 ghazals and more than 150 rubais.

After his death, Nasimi's works continued to exercise a great influence on many Turkic language poets such as Fuzuli (1483–1556), Khatai (1487–1524), and others.