The outstanding Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibayli wrote his first opera "Leyli and Majnun" in 1908. This was the first opera not only in Azerbaijan, but throughout the East. Thus, U. Hajibeyli laid the foundation for professional composer activity in Azerbaijan at the beginning of the 20th century.

"Leyli and Majnun" embodies a new genre of opera - mugham opera. The definition of a "mugham opera" harmoniously combines the musical traditions of the East and West. This is not an artificial fusion of centuries-old and developing forms of Eastern and Western musical cultures: mugham on the one hand, opera on the other.
It was based on mugham - professional music of the oral tradition and Western European composer writing that a school of composers was formed in Azerbaijan. The mugham opera "Leyli and Majnun" is a vivid example of the harmonic fusion of the two poles of the professional musical art.

The opera "Leyli and Majnun" by U. Hajibeyli, became the first stage of his creative development and the first peak he conquered in musical art.

The opera "Leyli and Majnun" is based on the poem of the same name by the brilliant Azerbaijani poet of the 16th century Fuzuli. According to the composer, the high spirituality and lyricism of Fizuli's poetry, the romanticism of his poem comprehensively and with all its strength could only reflect mugham, the most monumental genre of oriental music. 

The premiere of the opera "Leyli and Majnun" took place on January 12 (according to the new style - January 25), 1908 in Baku, at the Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev Theater (in the building of the modern State Theater of Musical Comedy). The opera was staged by the talented actor and director Huseyn Arablinsky. The writer-playwright Abdulrahim bey Akhverdiyev conducted the first performance of the opera. In subsequent performances, the author of the opera himself, as well as Muslim Magomayev, a close friend and associate of Uzeyir Hajibeyli, stood at the conductor's stand. The well-known publicist, artist, and public figure Ali bey Huseynzade participated in the artistic design of the performance.

The orchestra that accompanied the first performance consisted of several musicians - U. Hajibeyli's comrades from the Gori Seminary. The mugham sections were accompanied by well-known tar players - Gurban Pirimov and Shirin Akhundov.

The first performer of the role of Majnun was a prominent musical and theatrical figure Huseynkuli Sarabsky. He played this role with such skill that the people called him "Majnun". In subsequent years, many famous khanende of different generations acted as Majnun. Among them are Aliovsat Sadikhov, Huseynaga Hajibababekov, Abulfat Aliyev, Bakir Ashumov, Gulu Askerov, Arif Bababev, Janali Akperov, Alim Qasimov, Mansum Ibragimov and many others who left their mark on the history of the development of the opera theater, thanks to their unique performing styles and vivid interpretations of this roles.

But it was impossible to find the performer Leyla at that time, since at the beginning of the 20th century, Muslim women were forbidden to play on stage. Therefore, all female roles in the theater were performed by men. At the first performance, the role of Leyli was played by a young man named A. Faradzhev, who had a pleasant voice and knew mughams. In subsequent performances, the role of Leyli was played by Ahmed Agdamsky, a well-known performer of the main female roles, in almost all mugham operas and musical comedies of that time. Only years later (in 1920–30) did female khanende appear on the stage, creating wonderful roles in mugham operas by Azerbaijani composers.

The musical score of the opera "Leyli and Majnun" was not presented in its classical version. It was replaced by a script, the so-called direction, which fixed the sequence of stage actions and vocal numbers.

Separate musical notes, the author's notes on the performance of mugham sections based on the modes of Azerbaijani folk music, and on the dynamic shades of musical presentation were also found here. The libretto, clavier and score of the opera were published later: the libretto in 1912, the clavier in 1959, the score in 1983.

The compositional structure of "Leyli and Majnun" reflects all the components of operatic dramaturgy: overture, prologue, arias, choirs, ensemble scenes - duets, trios, orchestral episodes, dances, etc. But unlike the Western European stage form in "Leyli and Majnun » classical opera arias were replaced with mugham sections. In choral and ensemble numbers, orchestral episodes, folk melodies are used with great skill, which are organically intertwined with episodes composed by the composer himself.

Created by the outstanding composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli, "Leyli and Majnun" lives and illuminates the development of the Azerbaijani national opera.

Recommended literature:

1. Üzeyir Hacıbəyli ensiklopediyası / E. Abbasova [et al.] ; red. heyəti: E. Abbasova [et al.] ; Heydər Əliyev Fondu, Azərbaycan Mədəniyyətinin Dostları Fondu. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2008. - 239 s.
2. Hacıbəyli Üzeyir. Seçilmiş əsərləri. İki cilddə. 1 cild. Bakı, "Şərq-Qərb", 2005, 408 səh.
3. Узеир Гаджибеков : энциклопедия / Э. А. Абасова [и др.] ; гл. ред. Н. Ибрагимов ; редкол.: В. Адыгезалов [и др.]. - Баку : Изд-во Азербайджан, 2003. - 292 с.