BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15. The opera "Leyli and Majnun," a gem of Azerbaijani music, was staged with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan-Netherlands Odlar Yurdu Society in The Hague, Netherlands, on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the prominent Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibayli and National Music Day, the committee's statement said, Trend reports.
The event began with the performance of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan, followed by a minute of silence for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Azerbaijani lands.
Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Netherlands, Mammad Ahmadzade, delivered a speech highlighting the contributions of Uzeyir Hajibayli, the founder of Azerbaijan's modern professional music, in promoting national music globally and in shaping the ideology of Azerbaijani identity.
He emphasized the historical and symbolic significance of holding the anniversary events in Shusha, the composer’s birthplace, calling it a symbol of return.
Then, the head of the Azerbaijan-Netherlands Odlar Yurdu Society, musician Firangiz Baghirova, briefed on the historical importance of the said opera.
She noted that this work is not only Azerbaijan’s but also the entire Eastern world’s first opera, leaving an indelible mark on the history of music.
During the artistic part of the event, selected scenes from the opera were performed by Azerbaijani musicians residing in the Netherlands and Germany, receiving great interest from the audience.
The role of Leyli was performed by Vusala Jabir, a soloist of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater, and the role of Majnun was portrayed by artist Nehmataga Aliyev.
They were accompanied by Javid Salimov on tar and Sabina Mammadova on piano.
At the end of the evening, special letters of appreciation were presented to Firangiz Baghirova, the performers, and the musicians for their contributions to the realization of the event.
"Leyli and Majnun" is an old and tragic love narrative, frequently referred to as the "Romeo and Juliet of the East," dating from 7th-century Arabia. The narrative chronicles the saga of Kais (Majnun), whose infatuation with his beloved Leyli drives him to madness, resulting in their estrangement by her parents and his subsequent demise from sorrow. The mythology was initially documented by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in the 12th century and has since been transformed into numerous artistic expressions, including a renowned opera by Uzeyir Hajibayov in 1908.
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