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Laman Ismayilova

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Gara Garayev's ballet Seven Beauties was staged at Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku on October 8.

The work is based on the celebrated poem by Nizami Ganjavi and holds an important place in Azerbaijan's classical music tradition.

Completed in 1197, Nizami's poem follows Prince Bahram as he meets seven princesses from different lands. Garayev turned the literary work into a ballet, telling its story through orchestral music, choreography and the movement of the dancers.

Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev conducted the performance. The score ranges from forceful orchestral sections to gentle, expressive melodies. Garayev draws on Azerbaijani musical traditions throughout the ballet, giving the work a sound closely connected to the country's cultural roots.

The choreography by People's Artists Rafiqa Akhundova and Maqsud Mammadov brings together classical ballet and Azerbaijani dance. The dancers express the characters' emotions through movement, while the group performances add rhythm and variety to the scenes.

Aleksandr Suldin took the role of Prince Bahram, joined by Dinara Mammadova as Aisha and Seymur Gadiyev as the Vizier. Ayan Eyvazova played the Queen of Beauties. The seven princesses were portrayed by Zahra Valiyeva, Sabina Mammadova, Nigar Aliyeva, Liana Praga, Elmira Suleymanova and Nargiz Abdullayeva.

The princesses' dances reflect the different lands they represent. Each brings a distinct character to the stage, giving the ballet a succession of varied scenes. Their performances also help move the story forward as Bahram's encounters with the princesses unfold.

The stage design by Togrul Narimanbayov and Tehran Babayev recreates the setting of a royal court. The scenery provides a backdrop for the dancers and complements the music and choreography without drawing attention away from the story.

Bahram's journey is about more than his encounters with the seven princesses. Love and the search for wisdom run through the story, while the Vizier's hunger for power brings tension to the royal court. These themes give the ballet a dramatic dimension that extends beyond its fairy-tale setting.

Gara Garayev wrote Seven Beauties in 1947-1948. It premiered in Baku on November 7, 1952, becoming a notable work in Azerbaijani ballet.

The composer brought Nizami's literary world to the stage while giving it a musical identity of its own.