The first Azerbaijani theater founded in Irevan – past and present of Irevan State Azerbaijan Dramatic Theatre

Abstract

Theater is one of the most effective forms of art helping people to reflect material and spiritual problems to people. The term theater has been derived from the Greek “theatron”, which means “a place of sight” has played a great role in people's lives since ancient times and has become an integral part of the political concepts of countries. Athens is the birthplace of Western theatre. As can be seen from the sources that Western theater was developed and expanded by the Romans. Shakespeare gave the best definition of theatre and said:  “Theatre is the art of connecting of human to human and speaking humanly”. Recent years are especially memorable in the development of the Azerbaijani theater, which has a long and glorious history. This is a completely new stage of development in the history of theater. The national leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev was a great protector of culture and art during his leadership in our country and made unparalleled contributions on a new path of theater development. This glorious mission is being successfully carried out today by the Victorious Commander-in-Chief, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. This support includes not only theaters established in Baku and the regions, but also theaters moved to Baku after the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by hated Armenians in the 90s. It should be noted that in those years, 1 refugee and 3 internally displaced persons (IDP) theaters started operating in the capital. Thus, the fate of Irevan, Shusha, Aghdam and Fuzuli State Drama Theaters was connected to Baku. It should be noted that after being deported of the collective of the theater from Armenia, they continued their activities as a theater-studio affiliated to the Academic National Drama Theater in Baku and was placed in the Absheron Palace of Culture. Since 1995, the theater was given state status again and it was inhabited in the present Palace of Culture named after H. Sarabski.