Russian ballet troupe to present Fikret Amirov's "One Thousand and One Nights" at University of Florida

Based on "The Arabian Nights," "One Thousand and One Nights" tells the story of Shahriyar and Scheherazade. When Shahriyar, a mythical kind, discovers that his wife has been unfaithful, he has her put to death. Believing that all women are equally unfaithful, he gives his vizier the order to procure him a new wife every night. After spending one night with his bride, the king has her executed at dawn.

The king's actions threaten all of the women of the kingdom until the clever and beautiful Scheherazade volunteers to be the king's next wife. She strikes a bargain with the king: He will not put her to death until she has told him a story. Each night, Scheherazade spins a fantastic tale, stopping with a cliffhanger at dawn, thus prolonging her life and the lives of all of the women of the kingdom.

Set to music by Fikret Amirov, the ballet "One Thousand and One Nights" was first staged at the Baku Theatre of Opera and Ballet in 1979. An outstanding Azerbaijani composer and one of the leading representatives of the country's musical art, Amirov contributed greatly to the development of its multinational culture. His music has been performed often and successfully beyond his native Azerbaijan.

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