By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

A dress rehearsal has been held at the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater ahead of "Koroghlu" opera.

Uzeyir Hajibayli's "Koroghlu" opera will be staged at the State Opera and Ballet Theater on November 27.

The opera will bring together People's Artists Akram Poladov (Ali), Honored Artists Ramil Gasimov (Koroghlu), Ilaha Afandiyeva (Nigar), Jahangir Gurbanov (Hasan khan), Aliahmadov Ibrahimov (Jester) and others.

Ramil Gasimov (Koroghlu)  is the youngest performer of this role. He first embodied the image of Koroglu in 2011, when he was 27 years old.

The stage director of the opera is the Honored Art Worker Hafiz Guliyev, choirmaster-Honored Art Worker Sevil Hajiyeva. The opera will be accompanied by the orchestra under the baton of the principal conductor Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev.

History behind opera

The Epic of Koroghlu tells about the lives of people, their struggle for justice and freedom.

The storyline is based on a national epic about poor, abused villagers who rise up to defeat their unjust, oppressive khans and beys (landowners) in the 16-17th centuries.

The fight of two opposing forces - the people and feudal forms of governance - forms the dramatic basis of the opera.

The drama shows the mounting fight of the people for liberation from the oppressors and enemies of the motherland.

Based on his story, Hajibayov created the opera in five acts, which has become a true nation's patrimony.

Uzeyir Hajibayli's "Koroghlu" opera is a masterpiece of Azerbaijani classical art.

The five acts opera was written on the libretto of the Heydar Ismayilov and the verses of Mammad Said Ordubadi.

The libretto is based on episodes from the Epic of Koroghlu, a heroic legend prominent in the oral traditions of the Turkic peoples.

The composer worked on "Koroghlu" opera from 1932 to 1936.  The opera premiered at the State Opera and Ballet Theater in 1937under the baton of Uzeyir Hajibayli. Azerbaijan's prominent opera tenor Bulbul performed a leading role.

World release on music platforms

The opera "Koroghlu" is still included in the State Opera and Ballet theater.

In September, the opera was released on world music platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, Yandex Music, Tidal, etc.

Last time, "Koroghlu" opera was recorded in 1959 under the baton of the great maestro Niyazi.

Honored Artist, famous conductor Ayyub Guliyev, Honored Cultural worker, sound engineer Faig Babayev took part in the project initiated by the director of the Heydar Aliyev Palace Ramil Gasimov.

The main parts in the opera were performed by Honored Artists Ramil Gasimov, Ilaha Afendiyeva, Jahangir Gurbanov, Tural Aghasiyev, People's Artist Ali Askarov and vocalist Taleh Yahyayev.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.az, Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az