Azerbaijan's renowned composer Uzeyir Hajibayli's musical comedy
will be staged at the State Academic Musical Theater on July
16.
"If Not That One, Then This One" is a 1910 operetta in four acts
that reflects social and everyday life relations in
pre-revolutionary Azerbaijan. It is the composer's second work
written in this genre, Azernews reports.
The musical comedy has been shown for many years by various
directors not only in Azerbaijan, but also in many theaters around
the world.
Honored Art Worker Nazim Hajialibeyov, stage designer, Honored
Artist Ismayil Mammadov, choirmaster Honored Artist Vagif Mastanov,
conductorHonored Art Worker Fakhreddin Atayev, ballet masters
Honored Artists Zakir and Yelena Agayev, concertmaster Fidan
Babayeva and director's assistant Sevinj Mammadova are involved in
the work on the play staged by People's Artist Jannat Salimova.
In his work, Hajibeyli used the Azerbaijani mugham and included
extracts from Fuzuli's ghazals in the libretto.
The premiere of "If Not This One, Then That One" was held in
Baku on April 25, 1911, at the Mayilov brothers' theater (now State
Opera and Ballet Theater).
The main roles were performed by Mirzaagha Aliyev as Mashadi
Ibad, Huseyngulu Sarabski as Sarvar, Ahmed Agdamski as Gulnaz, and
M. Teregulov as Hasan bey.
The musical was conducted by Uzeyir Hajibeyli. The libretto of
the comedy was first published in Baku in 1912 by the Orujov
brothers' printing house.
The musical comedy has been successfully staged in Turkey, Iran,
Bulgaria and other countries.
In 1956, Huseyn Seyidzade shot the movie "If Not This One, Then
That One". The film criticized backward traditions and celebrated
emerging modern lifestyles. It was translated into many languages
and within the next three years was shown in more than 40
countries.
"If Not This One, Then That One" film is considered one of the
most famous and successful cinematographic pieces in the history of
Azerbaijan`s movie industry
Tickets can be purchased at all ticket offices in Baku and the
iticket
website .
--