Tatar composer Rezeda Akhiyarova’s opera “Love of the poet” have become
a real monument to the work of the poet Gabdulla Tukay. The libretto of
the opera was written by Renat Kharis. The first night took place on
November 18, 2006 in Kazan.
Jalil Opera and Ballet Tatar State Academic Theatre (Kazan)
The basic plot of the opera is a love story of Gabdulla Tukay to
Zaytuna Mavlyudova. Among real characters there are fictitious ones in
the opera. They are Azrail, an angel of death, Shurale and Apush, in
whom young Tukay is represented. Azrail is a religious character that
pursued Tukay all his life.
Photo Zaytuna Mavlyudova
Viktor Sobolev, a conductor from St. Petersburg and musical head of the
opera, took an active part in the process of the performance creation.
Akhmed Agadi, a Mariinsky Theatre soloist, performed the role of Tukay.
Kazan opera theatre premiere Venera Taneeva performed Zaytuna in “The
Love of the Poet”.
Traditional sets are absent in this performance. Special screens, where
the epoch of Tukay is created with the help of projectors, are
installed. Mikhail Pandjavidze, a production director of the Bolshoy
Theatre, have become the author of such an innovation. In addition, all
the technical opportunities of the stage are used. Thus it always
changes its relief and as a result the traditional static nature of
opera disappears and the performance becomes an alive creature of many
faces.
