By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The Second 4.4 Festival of Short Plays comes back to the City of Winds, Azernews reports, citing Trend Life.

Co-organized by the Culture Ministry and Teatro.az, the festival's second edition is dedicated to the Year of Shusha in Azerbaijan.

The Second 4.4 Festival of Short Plays started with a minute of silence to pay tribute to the Azerbaijani martyrs, who fought for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

The Azerbaijani State Choir under the baton of People's Artist Gulbaji Imanova performed the National Anthem of Azerbaijan and Uzeyir Hajibayli's work Shabi-Hijran.

Head of the Culture Ministry's Arts Department Farah Ajalova, the festival's head and theater critic Elchin Jafarov, chairman of the festival jury, theater critic, professor Israfil Israfilov and winner of the festival's first edition, founder of ESA Inclusive Theater Nihad Gulamzada addressed the opening ceremony.

In their remarks, they stressed the project's role in the cultural life of the country and theatrical art.

The 4.4 Festival of Short Plays demonstrates Azerbaijan's historical victory in the 44-day Patriotic War and contributes to the increase in the number of dramatic performances.

Some 12 short plays out of 20 were included in the festival program, including six theater productions, staged by Baku theaters, two theater plays staged by independent theaters, and four by state theaters operating across districts of the country.

Moreover, the puppet theaters also submitted applications for the Second 4.4 Festival of Short Plays.

The festival program also included six out-of-competition performances and a play based on Leo Tolstoy's Kreutzer Sonata staged by the Kote Marjanishvili State Academic Drama Theater (Georgia).

Furthermore, the audience was presented with a video that highlights the festival's first edition.

The festival's guests also watched Nigar Gulmammadova's play based on Goderdzi Chokheli's work "A Letter to Fir Trees" (Georgia) at the State Academic National Drama Theater and Elshad Rahimzade's one-man play "I Believe" based on Ulviya Heydarova's work at the State Theater for Young Spectators.

The Second 4.4 Festival of Short Plays is not limited only to theater performances.

The festival, which drew fifty foreign guests, features master classes, training, and panel discussions with the participation of famous theater experts.

Within the framework of the festival, the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts organized a master class led by Professor of the Cukurova Turkish State Conservatory, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Jahangir Novruzov on the application of the method of practical analysis based on Anton Chekhov's short plays "Bear" and "The Proposal".

Jahangir Novruzov also met with theatergoers at the State Academic National Drama Theater.

The full program of the Second 4.4 Festival of Short Plays is available here.

The Second 4.4 Festival of Short Plays will last until November 30.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.