National Drama Theater premieres Ilyas Afandiyev's historical play

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan State National Drama Theater has premiered Ilyas Afandiyev's Khurshidbanu Natavan play, Azernews reports.

The image of the poetess was embodied by the People's Artist Maleyka Asadova, who shared the same stage with People's Artists Kazim Abdullayev, Rafig Azimov, Haji Ismailov, Honored Artists Anar Geybatov, Elshan Jabrayilov, Rashad Baxtiyarov, Elnar Garayev, Mirza Agabayli, Kazim Hasanguliyev, Alvida Jafarov, Aishad Mammadov, Elshan Rustamov, actors Elchin Efandi, Javidan Novruz, Vusal Mustafayev, Ramin Shikhaliyev, Lala Suleymanova, Mehsati Tahirzada, Rustam Rustamov, Tural Ibrahimov, Firuza Balayeva, George Gafarov, and Elsevar Rahimov.

The artistic director of the play is People's Artist Azarpasha Nematov, director Mehman Fatullayev, production designer, Honored Cultural Worker Ilham Elhanoglu, composer, People's Artist Siyavush Karimi, and director's assistant Dilbar Ismayilova perfectly coped with the task, plunging the audience in a historical atmosphere.

The production tells about Khurshidbanu Natavan, the daughter of Mehdi Gulu khan, the last ruler of the Karabakh khanate.

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 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 well-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.