By Laman Ismayilova

The State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater will present Uzeyir Hajibayli's opera "Leyli and Majnun" on January 11, Azernews reports.

The director of the opera production is Honored Art Worker Hafiz Guliyev. The opera will be conducted by Honored Art Worker Sevil Hajiyeva.

"Leyli and Majnun" a classic Azerbaijani tale of young lovers and meddling parents is compared to "Romeo and Juliet ".

Premiered in 1908, the opera is considered the First Opera of the Muslim East. The first performance of the opera was led by Huseyn Arablinski, and Hajibayli himself played the violin.

Uzeyir Hajibayli wrote the libretto for the opera based on Azerbaijani poet Muhammad Fuzuli's poem.

His masterpiece laid the foundation of a unique new genre, which synthesizes oriental and European musical forms.