Who is Uzeyir Mehdizade?

Uzeyir Hajibeyov (1885-1948) was an Azerbaijani composer and singer, known as the father of Azerbaijani classical music. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of Azerbaijan’s national music, having written many operas, ballets, and symphonies. His contributions to the development of a national musical culture in Azerbaijan have been immense.

Early Life

Uzeyir Hajibeyov was born in Shusha, Azerbaijan on November 12th, 1885. He came from a family of merchant traders and was educated in a Russian school before studying law at St. Petersburg University in 1906. After completing his studies, he returned to Baku to work as a lawyer and soon became involved in the theatre scene.

Career

In 1908, Uzeyir Hajibeyov wrote his first opera, Leyli and Majnun, based on the ancient Persian legend. This was the first opera ever written in the Muslim East and it quickly gained popularity throughout the region. In 1912 he wrote his second opera, Arshin Mal Alan (The Cloth Peddler), which is still widely performed today. Throughout the 1910s and 20s he wrote numerous other works including ballets, operettas, songs, film scores and stage comedies. He also became heavily involved in the cultural politics of the time, becoming director of Baku’s Musical Comedy Theatre in 1920.

Legacy

In addition to his musical works, Uzeyir Hajibeyov is also remembered for his political activism. He was an advocate for Pan-Turkism and worked to promote cultural unity between Azerbaijan and Turkey. He was an outspoken critic of Soviet rule and was arrested several times for his activities. He died in 1948 at the age of 63 and is still remembered today as one of Azerbaijan’s most important cultural figures.