Uzeyir Hajibeyov (1885-1948)

Uzeyir bey Abdulhuseyn oglu Hajibeyov — world-famous composer, prominent musicologist, scientist, publicist, playwright, pedagogue and public figure, founder of modern Azerbaijani professional music and national opera, Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan (1935), People's Artist of the USSR (1938). He was an academician of the Academy of Science (1945), professor (1940), chairman of the Union of Composers of Azerbaijan (1938-1948), rector of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory (1928-1929, 1939-1948), director of the Institute of Arts of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences (1945-1948).

Hajibeyov's opera "Leyli and Majnun" performed at the Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev theater in Baku on January 12, 1908 laid the foundation of opera not only in Azerbaijan, but in the whole Muslim East.

In 1909-1915, Hajibeyov wrote "Sheikh Sanan" (1909), "Rustam and Sohrab" (1910), "Shah Abbas and Khurshidbanu" (1912), "Asli and Karam" (1912), "Harun and Leyla "(1915) as well as he wrote a libretto of mugam operas based on folk tales and legends, motifs of Firdovsi's Shahname.

Hajibeyov was also a great musicologist. He laid the foundation of modern Azerbaijani scientific musicology, wrote many articles on music and conducted various researches.

Hajibeyov's musical comedy "Arshin mal alan" is available in English, German, Chinese, Arabic, Persian, Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian and other languages.


 

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