Theater in West Asia
Azerbaijan: A Blooming National & Cultural Foundation
The Azerbaijan Republic looks like Iran in its culture and art in many aspects. There are many common points between the cultural identities of the two countries, especially in rituals and dramatic interaction.
Dramatic rituals such as ghayan bashak (hide and seek), norouz-khaani (singng for New Year), kheimeh shab-baazi (puppet show) and … had become popular during Safavid era, irantheater.ir reported. The first theater in Azerbaijan dates back to 1873.
Najafgulu bey Vazirov staged the first piece in Baku, which was a comedy entitled Vizier of Lankaran Khanate. Akhundzadeh, an Iranian playwright who is known in Azerbaijan as Akhundov, had been dominant in that country's nascent theater in 19th century.
Narimanov and Ghanizade established the first theater group in 1888 in Baku. "Muslim Drama Troupe staged pieces by renowned Russian authors such as Gogol, Tolstoy and Turgenev. Another theatrical troupe named "Comradeship" was established under the influence of the Russian Revolution (1905-1907). Pieces such as "Agha Mohammad Khan Miserable Young Boy" by Hagverdiyev and "Nadir Shah" by Narimanov were staged during the period.
A united drama troupewas founded in 1908 under “Nijat” charity union. It staged national plays and international pieces by Shakespeare and Schiller. Russia nationalized all theaters after the revolution. The Communist Party destroyed all theater troupes. Azerbaijan drama troupe was changed into Academic Drama Theater in 1922.
Late 1930, Maxim Gorky Azerbaijan State Theater and Azerbaijan State Theatre of Musical Comedy were established.
Azerbaijan theater had been under the influence of Russian theater throughout these years. Plays written by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov have been popular in that country.
Azerbaijan theater had experienced a stagnant period under Stalin given his narrow-minded way of rule and censorship. Following its separation from Russia, Azerbaijan have been experiencing a cultural openness. The country's officials have been trying to strengthen a sense of nationalist. Theater and music have been very important to achieve this policy.
The theatre troupes and venues as well as Azeri dance have been receiving support from the government in recent years.
A new form of theatrical art –musical theater- has been popular in Azerbaijan. "Leyli and Majnun" which is written by Fuzuli in 1901 had been among the first musical theater displayed in Azerbaijan.
Also, "Farhad and Shirin" by Navai were displayed in in the closing years of the 19th century. Iranians know Azerbaijan theater with its noted director Jannat Salimova.