Nizami's masterpiece turns out major success

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Nizami's masterpiece "Leyli and Majnun" has been staged at Heydar Aliyev Palace with major success. 

The production marked the poet's 880th anniversary and the Year of Nizami Ganjavi in Azerbaijan. 

Opening the event, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Ashugs Association, Honored Scientist  Maharram Gasimli spoke about the work on the production.

He noted that the play "Leyli and Majnun" was staged based on the epic written by ashugs who were inspired by the poet's work of the same name.

Although the epic was written a long time ago, ashugs included it in the repertoire in the 40s of the 20th century.

In those years, work was underway to mark the 800th anniversary of the birth of Nizami Ganjavi, and the epic "Leyli and Majnun" appeared in the repertoire of ashugs.

For the first time the roles were played not by actors, but by ashugs. The production uses poetic varieties of ashug art.

The scriptwriters include the chairman of the Azerbaijan Ashug  Association, Honored Scientist Maharram Gasimli and Ph.D. in Philology Altay Mammadli. The production was staged by  Honored Artist Inara Babayeva

One of the Middle East's most beloved tales brought together Honored Cultural Workers Samira Aliyeva (Leyli) and Solmaz Kosayeva (mother of Qais), Galandar Zeynalov (ashug), Ali Zeynalabdinov (Qais), Kamala Gubadli (mother of Leyli), Elmeddin Mammadli (Zayd), Shakhniyar Aliyev (father of Qais), Nabi Naghiyev (father of Leyli), Eldar Bagirov (Sayyad), Elman Talistanli (Salam), Ali Tapdigoghlu (Nofel), as well as saz performers Afil Bakhtiyarov, Aykhan Melikov, Joshgun Asgarov.

The production was staged with the support of the Culture Ministry and the joint organization of the Heydar Aliyev Palace and the Azerbaijan Ashugs Association. Nizami's masterpiece was met with round of applause.

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