Booklet of Gara Garayev’s “Yeddi gozel” ballet

Gara Garayev has composed “Seven beauties” ballet based on Nizami Ganjavi’s poems and Ismail Hidayetzade, Yuri Slominski, Sabit Rahman’s librettos in 1952. The ballet is consisted of four acts. It was staged by ballet-master Peter Gusev in Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in the same year.
“Seven beauties” has been created on the motives of “Seven beauties” poem from genius classic poet of Azerbaijani poetry, Nizami Ganjavi’s “Khamsa”.
In 1948 Gara Garayev composed a suite with the same name. It was performed by Azerbaijan Symphonic Orchestra after Uzeyir Hajibeyli with the guidance of maestro Niyazi. The composer was inspired by head director of Azerbaijan Opera and Ballet Theatre, famous actor and director Ismail Hidayetzade with the idea of composing a ballet. The libretto was first created by him and playwright Sabit Rahman. In 1951 music was composed and the work has been discussed at Azerbaijan Composers’ Union. Yet, Hidayetzade could not see the ballet on the stage. He died in November, 1951.
The premiere of the ballet was held on 7 November 1952, at Azerbaijan opera and Ballet Theatre in Baku with composition of famous russian soviet ballet-master Peter Gusev. Artists were Anvar Almaszade and Fyodor Gusak. Conductor- Kamal Abdullayev. The roles were performed by: Ayshe – Gamar Almaszade and Leyla Vekilova, Bahram shah-Yuri Kuznetsov and Konstantin Batashov, Wazir- Anatoli Urgantsev and Kamal Hasanov.
National instruments were used in orchestration of the ballet, which give it a national tint.
The immense, brilliant and colourful music of the ballet is a guarantee of the work’s happy and long stage life.
On 24 November 1953 the premiere was performed on the stage of Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theatre with composition of P.A.Gusev. It was staged by Simon Versaladze. Conductor – Edward Grikov. The roles were performed by: Ayshe – Vera Stankevich, Bahram shah- Veniamin Zimin, Wazir - Nikolai Filippovski, Indian beauty- Elena Ivanova, Manzar- Yuri Litvinenko, Chinese beauty- Valentina Rozenberg, Persian beauty – Tatyana fesenko, head of the guardsmen – Victor Tulubyev. Oleg Vinogradov was the ballet-master of some parts for the first time. The ballet instantly conquerred hearts of spectators and was entered tour reportoires.
The second edition of the ballet has been created by Gara Garayev with participation of Yuri Gusev in 1959 and the same year is has been performed in Moscow, during Azerbaijan Art days. Maestro Niyazi conducted the composition with great enthusiasm.
In 1970, Azerbaijani ballet was welcomed in Paris, France at VII International Modern Dance Festival and the tour of ballet troupe.
In 1982, “Seven beauties” film-ballet was filmed with the choreography of Rafiga Akhundova and Magsud Mammadov. Director- Feliks Slidovker, operator – Alexandr Tafel. Main roles: Natalia Bolshakova, Vadim Gulyayev, Gali Abaydulov. Conductor – Rauf Abdullayev.
Later, in 2002, these ballet-masters were suggested to stage “Seven beauties” ballet in Sweden, Stockholm and Gothenburg. The international group included dancers from eightteen countries and work was very interesting for both ballet-masters and actors. Ballets were very successfull in Sweden.
In 2008, a new staging of the ballet was held on the stage of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre. Famous Russian choreographer Vasiliy Medvedev became its chief ballet master. Yana Temiz – a writer from Turkey wrote a new libretto for staging. Elshad Bagirov, who worked at the Big Theatre and was a conductor at the Opera and Ballet Theater of Istanbul, became the manager and conductor of the staging. Artist of the Big Theater Dmitriy Cherbadji worked on decorations and Tahir Salahov on costumes.
On 13 October 2014, the ballet premiered in United States at the Civic Theatre in San Diego, California on front of 3,000 crowds.