"Husband and Wife"
Age limit: 6+
Author: Uzeyir Hajibeyli
Genre: Two-part musical comedy
Duration of the performance: Part I - 65 minutes
Part II - 35 minutes
Founding Director: Yusif Akberov
Founding Conductor: Nazim Hajialibeyov (Meritorious Artist)
Founding Artist: Eldar Gurbanov (Meritorious Artist)
Founding Ballet Master: Zakir Agayev (Meritorious Artist), Yelena Agayeva
Choreographer: Vagif Mammadov (Meritorious Artist)
Concertmaster: Fidan Babayeva
Chief Conductor: Fakhraddin Atayev (Meritorious Artist)
Uzeyir Hajibeyli, the brilliant Azerbaijani composer who laid the foundation for the professional opera genre in the Muslim East with the opera "Leyli and Majnun," was also a rare talent who created operettas and musical comedies that became significant events in our music and theater history. His first play, "Husband and Wife," premiered in 1910 in Baku. Since then, due to its timeless themes, it has remained relevant for all eras and has been repeatedly staged. Even 107 years ago, when Azerbaijani women were not yet allowed to perform on stage, the creators of the national theater – Huseynqulu Sarabski (Mr. Mercan), Ahmad Agdamski (Mrs. Minnet), and their colleagues – attempted to criticize and rectify the shortcomings of society in this operetta. At the same time, Uzeyir Hajibeyli, who was the librettist of the work, aimed to inspire the enlightened individuals who thought about the future of the nation and to confront ignorance and backwardness. In the early 20th century, he highlighted through the power of music and lyrics that men in the Muslim world enjoyed various rights as heads of households, emphasizing their freedom of movement and action. He intended to raise awareness about the spiritual damage inflicted on women due to the dominance of ignorance and feudal laws that deprived them of rights and freedoms within families. He sought to remedy the reckless behavior of characters like Mr. Mercan, exposing their trivial actions that were no longer acceptable to society. Additionally, he emphasized that the rational behavior and far-sightedness of women like Mrs. Minnet led to victory.
Uzeyir Hajibeyli revealed the betrayal of the husband to the wife in such a ridiculous and hopeless situation that demonstrated the triumph of positive change in the world. This achievement, which continues to be appreciated with a sense of gratitude even today, is an invaluable contribution and service to his nation and the development of national culture.
The work has been staged multiple times in various theaters across the country, winning the admiration of millions of spectators. Even today, it lives on as a unique gem of Uzeyir Hajibeyli's irreplaceable music.
