Talented director and People’s Artist Rza Abbasgulu oghlu Tahmasib, one of the unique creators of theatre and cinema art of Azerbaijan, was born on April 20, 1894 in Nakhchivan. Rza Tahmasib, who lost her mother at a young age, was educated and brought up by her father Abbasgulu bey, one of the famous merchants of his time,and also aunt and grandmother. In 1901, Rza Tahmasib studied at the “Pedagogical School” opened by Mammadtaghi Sidgi and learnt Russian, Arabic, Persian, history and geography. Five years later he graduated from this school and entered the three-class city school of Nakhchivan.

R. Tahmasib, who has a great love for acting, first appeared on stage in 1907 in the role of Chichikov in N. Gogol’s play “Dead Souls” prepared in the school. The play was performed in Russian.

Abbasgulu bey didn’t want his son to become an actor and sent him to study in Tbilisi. At the age of 16, he continued his education in the fourth grade of an eight-year commerce school in Tbilisi. While studying here, Rza Tahmasib joined the theatre troupe of the “Union of Muslim Artists” and became a member of the Azerbaijan Theatre Amateurs Association. R. Tahmasib worked as an actor and director in the theatres of Tbilisi, Iravan and Nakhchivan until 1920. He was invited to the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre after 1920, and worked at the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre from 1920 to 1959. He served as an artistic director in this theatre from 1922-1924, and as a director during 1937-1938 and 1953-1959. In 1937, he graduated from the directing department of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography.

Rza Tahmasib was also involved in diplomatic activities, as he was fluent in different languages. He began his diplomatic activity in 1917-1918. He was one of the main organisers and orators of the mass rallies held in Nakhchivan under the influence of the bourgeois revolution in Russia. During the terrible events in Nakhchivan in the spring and summer of 1918, he fought with the self-defence units against Armenian bandits to prevent the massacres committed by Armenians in Nehram, Shakhtakhty and other villages and to protect the city of Nakhchivan from plundering. After the establishment of Soviet power in 1921, he received an offer to work as an interpreter at the diplomatic mission in Turkey. Rza Tahmasib was one of the most active employees of the representative office, and one of the close assistants of Ibrahim Abilov, who was the first ambassador of the Azerbaijan SSR to the Republic of Turkey. At the same time, he familiarised himself with the cultural life of Turkey and he manages the events and performances organised by the mission. The purpose of such events was to provide financial assistance to orphans in Turkey and popularise Azerbaijan’s rich culture in the brotherly country. The charity events included a performance of A. Hagverdiyev’s play “The Unfortunate Young Man” directed by Rza Tahmasib. In 1922 he returned to his homeland and devoted himself to the development of theatre and cinema.

He made his first documentary film (“Ordenli Azerbaijan”- “Azerbaijan with Ordens”) while studying at the directing department of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography. Rza Tahmasib’s first major work as a director at the National Drama Theatre was Jalil Mammadguluzade’s “The Dead”. During the Second World War, he made the film “Sabuhi” (1941), which tells about the life and activity of Mirza Fatali Akhundov. The film “Arshin Mal Alan” is considered Rza Tahmasib’s most successful work as a director in cinema. He was awarded the State Prize of the USSR in 1945 for this film, which he created together with film director Nikolai Leshchenko. As a director he was able to create a strong acting ensemble and this was one of the reasons for the film’s success. This film starred Leyla Badirbeyli, Rashid Behbudov, Lutfali Abdullayev, Munavvar Kalantarli, Ismayil Efendiyev, Mirzaagha Aliyev and other luminaries. His first freelance directorial work in cinema was a film “Can You Forgive Him?” (1959). The director’s brother, scholar-philologist Mammadhuseyn Tahmasib wrote the script for the film.

Rza Tahmasib has created unforgettable characters through large-scale acting. His skillfully played roles such as Isgandar (“The Dead”), Iblis and Arif (“Devil”), Sheykh Sanan (“Sheykh Sanan”), Qajar (“Agha Mahammad Shah Qajar”), Suleyman (“Life”) became the most worthy artistic examples of classical Azerbaijani theatre. Rza Tahmasib’s work on Jafar Jabbarli was much appreciated and he has staged the great playwright’s works. In particular, he masterfully performed the roles of Aydin and Dovlet bey (“Aydin”), Elkhan and Abu Ubayd (“Bride of Fire”), Balash (“Sevil”), Haji Ahmed (“Diamond”), Imamyar (“Yashar”), the Governor-General (“In 1905”). As an actor Rza Tahmasib became one of the rare heroes in the history of the Azerbaijani cinema, creating the images of Aghasi khan in the film “Fatali khan” (1947) and Galosh in the film “For the Law”.

The great era of Azerbaijani theatre art is connected with the works of Rza Tahmasib. Until the 60s of the last century Rza Tahmasib rendered important services as an organiser and creator of our national theatre. Rza Tahmasib was awarded the honorary title “Honoured Art Worker of the Azerbaijan SSR” (1943), “Badge of Honour” Order (1946), “Stalin Prize” (1946), honorary title “People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR” (1964). Rza Tahmasib inscribed his name with golden letters in the history of art, rendering exceptional services in the development of theatre and cinema art of Azerbaijan. Rza Tahmasib died on February 14, 1980 in Baku and was buried on the Second Alley of Honors.

Recommended literature:

1. Rəhimli, İlham Əziz oğlu. Rza Təhmasib / İ. Ə. Rəhimli, C. Məmmədov. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2017. - 152 s.
2. Təhmasib, Tamilla. Rza Təhmasib: Elmi-publisistik, sənədli xatirə /Tamilla Təhmasib; Redaktoru, nəşrə hazırlayan: Maarif Teymur. - Bakı: MBM, 2005. - 272 s.
3. Sadıxov, Nazim. Azərbaycan kino rejissorları: Portretlər /N. Sadıqov ; red. S. İsmayılova ; rəyçi. F. Səfiyev. - Bakı: İşıq, 1988. - 157 s.