Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

The ancient, most beautiful, original and interesting city of Azerbaijan Shaki, famous for its historical monuments, will host the first International Theater Festival.

Azerbaijan State Theater of Young Spectators will participate in the event, to be held on September 11.

The theatre will stage the play "I came, girls" ("War") based on the same named play of the Swedish playwright Lars Noren.

Leading theater groups operating in the country and also a series of foreign theater groups will take part in the festival.

Azerbaijan celebrates the day of national theatre on March 10. The gala opening of new 142 theatre season will be held in Shaki.

History and development of Azerbaijani theater requires a separate story, since namely in this county the first theater and the first opera was staged in the Muslim East. The theatrical art of Azerbaijani people is rooted in the ancient folk festivals and dances.

The history of Azerbaijan theater started with spectacles "Vizier of Lankaran khan" and "Hadji Gara", based on plays Mirza Fatali Akhundov in March-April 1873.

These first amateur performances staged by students of real school by initiative of Hasan-bay Zardabi and with the active participation of the Najaf-bay Vezirov and Alekber Adigezalov have become a powerful impetus for the establishment of a national theater.