The Opera of Koroglu
Encyclopedia
Koroğlu is an opera
in five acts by Uzeyir Hajibeyov
to a libretto
in Azerbaijani
by Habib Ismayilov, with poetry by Mammed Said Ordubadi
. The libretto is based on episodes from the Epic of Köroğlu
, a heroic legend
prominent in the oral tradition
s of the Turkic peoples
. The opera premiered on April 30, 1937 at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater.
, conducted by the composer with Bulbul in the title role. It was Hajibeyov's last complete opera and is described by Yury Gabay in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
as his most important work, winning him a USSR State Prize
in 1941. The opera had its first Moscow performance in 1938 and received its first complete staging in Russian
in 1943.
Koroğlu is still frequently performed by the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater. In the late 1980s its overture
became an unofficial anthem for the Azerbaijan movement for independence from the Soviet Union
and is still often used to open concerts in Azerbaijan.
. The end of XVI century. Walls of a majestic palace rises above in the middle of the picturesque nature, at the foot of a mountain. These are the possessions of Hasan khan. Poor huts of peasants are scattered among the palace.
Their life is hard. Hasan khan
is a cruel, heartless ruler. Knout, violence, robbery, murder-are facilities by which he shows his power.
Driven to despair by poverty, starvation, and atrocities of khan nation is beginning to grumble and it seems there is enough spark for firing nation’s anger.
But khan feasts. Neighbor-feudal
lords get together in his palace. Wishing to show his generosity, Hasan khan has decides to present horse one of the guests. Let, the horse herd wrangler Ali bring the best horse from the herd!-the khan demands. But unfortunately Ali has driven the herd off to the fields and it is impossible to perform khan’s order. Khan is angered. Khan takes it out on poor horse herd wrangler. Blind him!-the khan ordered.
The poor man falls to his knees, swears that he hasn’t done it deliberately, askes for execution as for the great mercy,-it’s better to die than to lose the eyes! Khan’s word is the stone, he hasn’t got heart; khan’s servants take Ali away.
Ali’s son ashik
Rovshan returnes home and doesn’t suspect of the accident, sing about her love to beautiful Nigar. But she hurries to inform her beloved about khan’s crime. Rovshan hurries to help his father. But it is late! The crime has been committed. “Now, you are Koroghlu
,the son of blind man!” – Ali sorrowfully says Rovshan.
Henceforth, the aim of Rovshan’s life is revenge. Taking Koroghlu name, he goes to the mountains and calles all oppressed and offended people by khan. They will revenge upon the bloody tyrant. His call-is that spark, by which the fire of the nation’s revolt blazes up.
The soldiers come running in the luxury hall with bad news: khan’s army is destroyed by Koroghlu’s soldiers. There is a commotion among the guests. Feast becomes a council of war. Everybody offers its own plan for suppression of the rebels. Khan’s jester’s curious offer is the most trusted: to steal Koroghlu’s favourite horse-Girat. Koroghlu will come immediately to free his loyal friend, and then they will catch him. The rebellion will be deprived of a leader. But who will have the courage to steal the horse from the rebels’ tower-Chenlibel? Bald-headed Hamza is ready! The beautiful Nigar will be award for it. Let it be! – Hasan khan agrees.
Nigar is horrified by coming trouble. She secretly sends her brother Eyvaz to Koroghlu.
Disguised Hamza appears near the walls of the tower. He asks for cover and shelter: he is horse-holder, running from the persecutions of Hasan khan. Koroglu is trustful and simple. He charges Hamza to look after his Girat. People warns Koroglu, but it is vain.
At night a storm bursted out. Darkness and a bad weather favored the crime: Hamza steals Girat.
Koroghlu recollected too later – the enemy has already disappeared in darkness. Favourite Girat has been disappeared, too.
Hamza enters. Looking to ashik Hamza cries: “Koroghlu!” Koroghlu is gripped and tied up. The khan is delighted-a mousetrap has been shut down. Broken hearted Nigar and gripped Eyvaz have been brought. Who sent him to Chenlibel? Nigar confesses bravely: she has done that. Hamza falls himself on her with weapon, but Koroglu breaks the way with one motion and hurries to help and kills Hamza. He jumps on Girat in a flash and disappears.
All power of Hasan khan’s anger falls upon Nigar. Execute her publicly with Eyvaz and a horse-holder Polad, who couldn’t save trusted him Girat!
The people meet convicted persons with empathy; beautiful Nigar motionlessly stands in scaffold with the support of her friends. She has to leave this life firstly. Hasan khan comes and orders to begin the execution. There is no fear in the courageous heart of Nigar. She angrily blames the khan. At that moment when butcher’s axe falls down the soldiers burst into the square with Koroglu and set convicted persons free. The heavy men deserve the punishment. The people greet Koroglu.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in five acts by Uzeyir Hajibeyov
Uzeyir Hajibeyov
Uzeyir bey Abdul Hussein oglu Hajibeyov was an Azerbaijani and Soviet composer, conductor, publicist, playwright, teacher, translator, and social figure from Azerbaijan. He is recognized as the father of Azerbaijani classical music and opera...
to a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
in Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
by Habib Ismayilov, with poetry by Mammed Said Ordubadi
Mammed Said Ordubadi
Mammad Said Ordubadi was Azerbaijani writer, poet, playwright and journalist.He was initially educated at religious school, medrese, and later studied at Mahammad Sidgi's secular school "Əxtər"...
. The libretto is based on episodes from the Epic of Köroğlu
Epic of Köroglu
The Epic of Köroğlu is a heroic legend prominent in the oral traditions of the Turkic peoples. The legend typically describes a hero who seeks to avenge a wrong. It was often put to music and played at sporting events as an inspiration to the competing athletes.The legend first began to take shape...
, a heroic legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
prominent in the oral tradition
Oral tradition
Oral tradition and oral lore is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to another. The messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants...
s of the Turkic peoples
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
. The opera premiered on April 30, 1937 at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater.
Background and performance history
Koroğlu was written in 1936 and first performed on April 30, 1937 at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater in BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, conducted by the composer with Bulbul in the title role. It was Hajibeyov's last complete opera and is described by Yury Gabay in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, it is the largest single reference work on Western music. The dictionary has gone through several editions since the 19th century...
as his most important work, winning him a USSR State Prize
USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
in 1941. The opera had its first Moscow performance in 1938 and received its first complete staging in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
in 1943.
Koroğlu is still frequently performed by the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater. In the late 1980s its overture
Overture
Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
became an unofficial anthem for the Azerbaijan movement for independence from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and is still often used to open concerts in Azerbaijan.
Plot
| Role | Voice type |
|---|---|
| Ali, old man, horse-holder of Hasan khan | Bass (voice type) Bass (voice type) A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C... |
| Rovshan (afterwards Koroghlu), his son | Tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
| Nigar, Rovshan’s beloved | Soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
| Eyvaz, her brother | Tenor |
| Hasan khan | Baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
| Ibrahim khan- close of Hasan khan | Bass |
| Hamza bey- close of Hasan khan | Tenor |
| Ehsan pasha | Tenor |
| Polad, Hasan khan’s servant | Tenor |
| Hasan khan’s jester | Tenor |
| Court singer (woman) | Soprano |
| Nadir-peasant | Tenor |
| Veli-peasant | Tenor |
| Heralds-the 1st, 2nd, 3rd | Tenor |
| Farrash | Tenor |
| Commanders | Tenor |
The first act
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. The end of XVI century. Walls of a majestic palace rises above in the middle of the picturesque nature, at the foot of a mountain. These are the possessions of Hasan khan. Poor huts of peasants are scattered among the palace.
Their life is hard. Hasan khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
is a cruel, heartless ruler. Knout, violence, robbery, murder-are facilities by which he shows his power.
Driven to despair by poverty, starvation, and atrocities of khan nation is beginning to grumble and it seems there is enough spark for firing nation’s anger.
But khan feasts. Neighbor-feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
lords get together in his palace. Wishing to show his generosity, Hasan khan has decides to present horse one of the guests. Let, the horse herd wrangler Ali bring the best horse from the herd!-the khan demands. But unfortunately Ali has driven the herd off to the fields and it is impossible to perform khan’s order. Khan is angered. Khan takes it out on poor horse herd wrangler. Blind him!-the khan ordered.
The poor man falls to his knees, swears that he hasn’t done it deliberately, askes for execution as for the great mercy,-it’s better to die than to lose the eyes! Khan’s word is the stone, he hasn’t got heart; khan’s servants take Ali away.
Ali’s son ashik
Ashik
An Ashik is a mystic troubadour or traveling bard, in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and Iran who sings and plays the saz, a form of lute. Ashiks' songs are semi-improvised around common bases....
Rovshan returnes home and doesn’t suspect of the accident, sing about her love to beautiful Nigar. But she hurries to inform her beloved about khan’s crime. Rovshan hurries to help his father. But it is late! The crime has been committed. “Now, you are Koroghlu
Koroghlu
Koroghlu, literally Turkish, Azerbaijani meaning "Son of a Blind Man" and Turkmen language meaning "Son of Grave," is the main hero of epic with the same name in Azerbaijani and Turkish as well as some other Turkic languages...
,the son of blind man!” – Ali sorrowfully says Rovshan.
Henceforth, the aim of Rovshan’s life is revenge. Taking Koroghlu name, he goes to the mountains and calles all oppressed and offended people by khan. They will revenge upon the bloody tyrant. His call-is that spark, by which the fire of the nation’s revolt blazes up.
The second act
Hasan khan is anxious in thought: will the strong walls rescue him from the nation’s anger? The battle of rebels becomes larger and the name of Koroghlu becomes legendary. The feudal tremble in front of the nation’s avenger, and even the mighty Hasan khan hasn’t got enough power to attack them. He calls Turkish Ehsan pasha to help him. Two “wolves” have colluded quickly, but can the predators believe each other? Their collusion is celebrated with feast, the vine is poured, dancers whirled…But Hasan khan knows no rest.The soldiers come running in the luxury hall with bad news: khan’s army is destroyed by Koroghlu’s soldiers. There is a commotion among the guests. Feast becomes a council of war. Everybody offers its own plan for suppression of the rebels. Khan’s jester’s curious offer is the most trusted: to steal Koroghlu’s favourite horse-Girat. Koroghlu will come immediately to free his loyal friend, and then they will catch him. The rebellion will be deprived of a leader. But who will have the courage to steal the horse from the rebels’ tower-Chenlibel? Bald-headed Hamza is ready! The beautiful Nigar will be award for it. Let it be! – Hasan khan agrees.
Nigar is horrified by coming trouble. She secretly sends her brother Eyvaz to Koroghlu.
The third act
More and more rebels get together under flag of the famous commander of the nation. Koroghlu returns to the tower from the next campaign with new detachment of soldiers. Everybody are the brothers in Chenlibel, and new coming soldiers become the members of one family. The rebels take the friendship oath, loyalty oath to the battle flag of Koroghlu – the fighter for the nation’s happiness.Disguised Hamza appears near the walls of the tower. He asks for cover and shelter: he is horse-holder, running from the persecutions of Hasan khan. Koroglu is trustful and simple. He charges Hamza to look after his Girat. People warns Koroglu, but it is vain.
At night a storm bursted out. Darkness and a bad weather favored the crime: Hamza steals Girat.
Koroghlu recollected too later – the enemy has already disappeared in darkness. Favourite Girat has been disappeared, too.
The fourth act
A cheerful feast in Hasan khan’s palace. An unknown to somebody ashik appears. Interested Hasan khan offers him to sing. Strings of saz twang, a song about ardent love and beautiful beloved poures from the strings. How good sings this ashik! A new song glorifies Koroghlu’s horse-Girat. The khan laughs smugly: because Girat is in his stable! But ashik doesn’t believe: Girat cannot be here. Then Girat is brought to the hall by khan’s order.Hamza enters. Looking to ashik Hamza cries: “Koroghlu!” Koroghlu is gripped and tied up. The khan is delighted-a mousetrap has been shut down. Broken hearted Nigar and gripped Eyvaz have been brought. Who sent him to Chenlibel? Nigar confesses bravely: she has done that. Hamza falls himself on her with weapon, but Koroglu breaks the way with one motion and hurries to help and kills Hamza. He jumps on Girat in a flash and disappears.
All power of Hasan khan’s anger falls upon Nigar. Execute her publicly with Eyvaz and a horse-holder Polad, who couldn’t save trusted him Girat!
The fifth act
The people are driven to the square to watch execution. There are heard grumbles in the crowd. Koroghlu’s struggle for freedom infused people’s courage. The people loudly curse the khan.The people meet convicted persons with empathy; beautiful Nigar motionlessly stands in scaffold with the support of her friends. She has to leave this life firstly. Hasan khan comes and orders to begin the execution. There is no fear in the courageous heart of Nigar. She angrily blames the khan. At that moment when butcher’s axe falls down the soldiers burst into the square with Koroglu and set convicted persons free. The heavy men deserve the punishment. The people greet Koroglu.
Recordings
- Uzeyir Hajibeyov: Koroğlu – Lutfiyar ImanovLutfiyar ImanovLutfiyar Muslum oglu Imanov was an Azerbaijani opera singer .-Career:Lutfiyar Imanov started his career in the arts as a teenage actor at the Sabirabad State Drama Theatre. He graduated from the Zeynalli School of Music with a degree in vocal arts in 1957...
(Koroglu), Firangiz Ahmadova (Nigar); Orchestra and Choir of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater; NiyaziNiyaziNiyazi Zulfigar oglu Tagizade Hajibeyov was a prominent Soviet Azerbaijani musical conductor, composer, author of the famous "Rast" symphonic mugam.-Early life:...
(conductor). Label: Azerbaijan International
External links
- Abadi, Marjan. Libretto in English translation at HAJIBEYOV.com
- Garibova, Jala. Synopsis in English at HAJIBEYOV.com
- Blair, Betty. "Why Hajibeyov Wrote the Opera Koroghlu," in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 14:2 (Summer 2006), p. 61.
- Alakbarov, Farid. "The Other Koroghlu: Tbilisi Manuscript Sheds Light on Medieval Azerbaijani Hero," in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 10:1 (Summer 2002), pp. 54-57.
- Video: Doğma Xalqıma, 1954, extract from a 1954 film version of the opera
- Rezayev, Azer. "Opera in Azerbaijan". Azerbaijan International, Vol. 5:4 (Winter 1997), pp. 70-71.
- Opera and Ballet in the Republic of Azerbaijan on the official website of the Tabriz Ensemble
- Archive of Turkish oral narrative