Today is Rubaba Muradova's birthday

Today, Azerbaijani opera singer (mezzo-soprano) and People's Artist Rubaba Muradova would have turned 93.

She was born on March 22, 1933, into a clergyman's family in the Iranian city of Ardabil (South Azerbaijan). In 1946, she moved with her family to the city of Ali-Bayramly in Soviet Azerbaijan.

From 1947, she performed in various local theaters. In 1953, she graduated from the Asaf Zeynally Music School in Baku, where her teacher was the renowned khanende Seyid Shushansky.

After graduating from the music school in 1954, she began working at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater. Rubaba Muradova's most famous role was Leyli in Uzeyir Hajibeyli's opera "Leyli and Majnun."

The most famous hit of that era was the song "Greetings to Heydar Baba!" performed by Rubaba Muradova, written to the words from the poem by the renowned Azerbaijani poet Shahriyar. Her performances were always distinguished by their emotional intensity, which her colleagues on stage attributed to her nostalgia for her homeland, Ardabil, which she could not visit due to the closed Soviet-Iranian border.

The singer was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor (1959), as well as the titles of Honored (1956) and People's (1971) Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR.

Rubaba Muradova passed away on August 28, 1983, in Baku.

In 2007, a television film about the life and career of the singer was produced by the "Azerbaijantelfilm" creative association.