Natavan opera shown at Opera & Ballet Theater

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater has presented an opera "Natavan" by a prominent composer, People's Artist Vasif Adigozalov, Azernews reports.

This year marks the 190th anniversary of Xurshidbanu Natavan, great poetess and the daughter of Mehdi Gulu khan, the last ruler of the Karabakh khanate.

The opera tells about the life path of a great poetess. The author of the libretto is Nazim Ibrahimov, and the verses are written by Ruzgyar Afandiyeva. At the same time, poems by Khurshidbanu Natavan, Qasimbay Zakir and other members of the Majlisi-Uns literary society were used in the libretto.

The opera production was warmly accepted and received thunderous applause from the audience.

The main roles in the opera were performed by People's Artist Azar Zeynalov, Honored Artists Jahangir Gurbanov, Tural Aghasiyev, Tayyar Bayramov as well as leading soloists Seljan Nasibli, Taleh Yahyayev Mahir Taghizada, Atash Garayev, Fahmin Ahmadli, Ravan Amiraslanli, and many others.

The opera "Natavan" was staged and directed by People's Artist of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan Firudin Safarov, the director of the performance is Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan Hafiz Guliyev, the production designer - People's Artist Rafiz Ismayilov, choreographer-People's Artist Tamilla Shiraliyeva,choirmaster-Honored Art Worker Sevil Hajiyeva, music director and conductor - People's Artist Yalchin Adigozalov.

Khurshidbanu Natavan became popular through her relationship-themed ghazals and rubaiyat. Kindness, friendship, humanism, and love were the main themes of Natavan's ghazals.

Her romantic poems express the feelings and sufferings of a woman who was not happy in her family life and who lost her son. She adopted the pen name Natavan, a Persian term meaning "powerless", after her son’s tragic death in 1885.

Some of her known poems are "To My Son, Abbas", "Lilac", and "Beloved One", which are still used in folk songs.

In addition to poetry, Natavan was also engaged in painting. She was exceptionally good at pencil sketching and attractive embroidery as well. Her landscape sketches were the first-of-a-kind in European style in Azerbaijani art, which perfectly combined the concepts of the Western and Oriental art forms. Her embroidery works were regarded as masterpieces.

After her father's death, she was closely engaged in philanthropy, promoting the social and cultural development of Karabakh.

Even though she took over the Karabakh khanate at the young age of 13, Natavan successfully established her literary career and managed the responsibilities of developing her native city, Shusha.

She did a lot for the welfare of people, including building a water pipeline, opening schools, and building hospitals.

Prominent for her charity and social activity, Natavan was the first to provide her home city Shusha with drinking water.

Among her deeds was a water pipeline that was first laid down in Shusha in 1883, thus solving the water problem of the townsfolk.

Moreover, she also did a lot for the development and popularization of the famous breed of Karabakh horses. Karabakh horses from Natavan's stud were known as the best in Azerbaijan. In an international show in Paris in 1867, a Karabakh horse Khan from Natavan's stud received a silver medal.

The daughter of the khan was also active in sponsoring one of the first literary societies. She established the first literary society in Shusha and went on to sponsor several more across the country. Majlis-I Uns (Society of Friends) became a renowned poetic circle in Karabakh.