On this day in 1908. It was the first mugham opera in the history of music, as well as the first mugham opera in the Near and Middle East. January 12 is the day when the opera “Leyli and Majnun” by genius Uzeyir Hajibeyli was shown for the first time. As it is known, with Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s opera “Leyli and Majnun”, which was performed at the Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev theater in Baku on January 12, 1908, the foundation of opera art was laid not only in Azerbaijan, but throughout the East. This work has been referred to from time to time, and today the opera is played on big stages as a national work of art of Azerbaijan. On January 12, 1908, on a cold winter evening, the first Eastern opera “Leyli and Majnun” was presented to the people of Azerbaijan by 22-year-old Uzeyir Bey Hajibeyli at the Tagiyev Theater. There is no person who does not watch this love legend with great interest and admiration. The singers who took part in “Leyli and Majnun”, which is an example of professional art of the people, were directors, conductors, choirmasters, artists, ballet masters, and concertmasters who staged this great work in various structures.
H. Sarabski recited the ghazal “I want an ecstatic-spiritual partner with the hijri of my burning soul” on the “Mahur-Hindi” mugham so skillfully that The name of Huseyngulu Sarabski, who was the first performer of the role of Majnun, was forever engraved in history. Huseyngulu Sarabski, who was preparing to play Majnu, often met Uzeyir Bey and listened carefully to his creative instructions and advice. Finally, after many obstacles and difficulties, the opera “Leyli and Majnun” was performed on January 12, 1908. The director of the first performance was Huseyngulu Sarabski, the second director was Huseyn Arablinski, and the conductor was Abdurrahim Bey Hagverdiyev. Mr. Uzeyir himself played the violin in the orchestra. Gurban Pirimov accompanied the performance with his pearl tar. The first performance of the opera “Leyli and Majnun” was a great success. H. Sarabski, who played the role of Majnun, and other performers showed such skill in front of the hall, which was full to the brim, that the audience called them to the front of the stage with unceasing applause. The audience shouted “Majnun” in unison and did not want to let H. Sarabski off the stage. A. Rzayev, prompter of the first performance, writes in his memoirs “Theatr and Arablinski” that when the curtain fell after the choir finished singing “Shabu-Hijran”, thunderous applause erupted from the hall. When the curtain rose again, Majnun – H. Sarabski read the ghazal of Muhammad Fuzuli “I want a ecstatic-spiritual companion with the hijri of my burning soul” on the “Mahur-Hindi” mugham so skillfully that I forgot myself in the soflyor booth. “Irshad” highly appreciates the performance of “Mughtadir Sarabski”, the performer of the role of Majnun, and in the review published about the play in “Irshad” newspaper dated January 15, 1908, it is emphasized that Fuzuli’s poem “Leyli and Majnun” is also a memorization of languages, and the singing of that work with the language of music Along with “young editor and musician Uzeyir Hajibeyov and realni student Jeyhun Hajibeyov, it is shown that the “Nijat” Educational Society is a great service. As for the play itself, the “Irshad” newspaper recommends that the scenes be somewhat poetic and expresses its attitude to the performances of individual actors. “Irshad” highly appreciates the play of “Mughtadir artist Sarabski”, who plays the role of Majnun, and shows that he has been applauded many times and succeeded thanks to his love for his profession. Abdurrahim Farajov, the first performer of the role of Leyli, appeared on the stage for the first time and as noted by “Irshad” newspaper, “so because he has undertaken an important task” that he won the sympathy of the audience emphasizes the The opera was an unexpected success. Huseyngulu Sarabski devoted 40 years of his life to theater art. During these years, he enriched the stage of Azerbaijani theater art by creating a series of roles. Huseyngulu Sarabski, one of the devotees of the art of opera, later wrote about the character of Majnun, which he created with incomparable skill: “Sarabski’s playing was unparalleled. His songs flow like a spring… Crying and crying, moaning and moaning, he talks about his love and his Leyli on the immortal mugham with Fuzuli’s ghazals. , the music, which works on the thinnest veins of the human heart, affected me so much that I could hardly stifle my sobs. But my tears flowed unceasingly. My heart was filled with strange feelings. Poor, unfortunate, divan Majnun! Sarabsky played his role with great skill. He played the image of Majnun he played it on the stage in its full meaning”. After this interesting and memorable performance, in all subsequent performances of the Azerbaijan Musical Theater, he created interesting images of main characters such as Sheikh Sanan, Shah Abbas, Sohrab, Karam, Ashiq Garib, Shah Ismayil, Marjan Bey, Sarvar Asgar.
“Sacrifice, I want to listen to Leylin for the last time”
In particular, his role as Majnun became legendary. Undoubtedly, not everyone had the opportunity to watch the opera “Leyli and Majnun” at that time. In particular, it was difficult for people living in distant villages and cities of Azerbaijan to come to Baku and watch the opera. Therefore, letters and telegrams were coming from many places without interruption, everyone said that they wanted to see the play “Leyli and Majnun”, they desperately asked Sarabski to visit the cities of Lankaran, Sheki, Ganja, Shusha and Tbilisi. That is why in 1913-1918, Sarabski went on tour with his art friends to many cities of the Caucasus with the aim of showing the play “Leyli and Majnun”.
The heart of the great actor and singer lived with the image of Majnun until the last minutes of his life. On February 16, 1945, when he was on his deathbed, he called his artistic friends Gurban Pirimov and the singer Haqikat Rzayeva, who performed the role of Leyli, and looked at Gurban and said in a trembling voice: “Play Gurban, I want to listen to Leyli for the last time.” The singer closed his eyes forever after hearing the voice of the victim and the voice of Truth. During the People’s Republic, the next performance of the opera “Leyli and Majnun” took place on November 21, 1919. It has been almost a month since the Azerbaijan State Theater was organized in Baku. “Azerbaijan” newspaper dated November 21, writing about that performance, draws the readers’ attention to the fact that it differs primarily in appearance, and that the chorus, curtains, music and ballet are already important. The foundation stone of the Azerbaijani professional composition school was laid with the opera “Leyli and Majnun”.
Sources indicate that H. Sarabski, who became famous for playing the role of Majnun, was sick, so Mammadtaghi Bagirov played that role, and Huseynaga Hajibababayov played the role of Leyli. These two actors later played a great role in the development of our opera art, performed in the operas of Azerbaijani composers, as well as Russian and Western European composers, and were awarded the high and honorable title of People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. “Azerbaijan” newspaper of the same date had a negative attitude towards the performance of H. Hajibababeyov in the role of Leyli, and in general, the performances of men in the roles of women, and invites the management of the State Theater to get rid of this habit once and for all and to take a serious approach to this issue. However, “Azerbaijan” newspaper emphasizes that HAHAjibababeyov’s voice has “a power that can interpret the soul of those who hear it.” MTBaghirov notes that a weak Majnun was bought in exchange for his voice, and that Rza Darabli imitated Teregulov in the role of Nofal with a unique skill, but he was able to “play his role with dignity, whether with voice or situational movements”.
All this once again proves that the genius Uzeyir Bey Hajibeyli’s opera “Leyli and Majnun”, which we celebrated with great joy, was the focus of our national press at the beginning of the 20th century, and this interest did not subside in the following years. This work of art later produced many Leylis and Majnuns. The work was played successfully in many countries of the world. With the success of the performance, Azerbaijan introduced the art of opera to the world. Today, the Leylis and Majnuns, who grew up in the art of Azerbaijani opera, revive the work inspired by the world of Muhammad Fuzuli and Uzeyir Hajibeyli with their love of art, and present lyrical-sad plates of its magic and charm to representatives of every generation.
Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s creativity is such a great force that he revived the ancient traditions of Azerbaijani music and revealed the inexhaustible possibilities of folk music creativity. U. Hajibeyli, who laid the foundation stone of the Azerbaijani professional composition school with his opera “Leyli and Majnun” created 115 years ago, focused his comprehensive talent, knowledge and skills on its development and thereby prepared the ground for Azerbaijani music to conquer high peaks and be recognized worldwide. We would not be wrong if we say that each of the pearls of art created by him are masterpieces of our music.
Zumrud BAYRAMOVA