Today is the day of remembrance of the legendary Azerbaijani actress Nasiba Zeynalova

Today is the birthday of Nasiba Zeynalova - a wonderful Azerbaijani actress, Honored and People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. She became famous mainly for her comedy roles.

N. Zeynalova was born on April 20, 1916 in Baku, in the family of merchant and actor Jahangir Zeynalov - the founder of the national realistic school of acting. He always dreamed that his daughter would continue his creative path.

But, unfortunately, he was not destined to see this. The family fled to Iran before the March events of 1918. Zeynalova's father died of typhus on the ship on the way home in November 1918. Little Nasiba was two years old at that time.

N. Zeynalova developed and became famous as one of the most worthy representatives of the realistic school of acting. She practiced folk dances since childhood. In 1932, she was enrolled in Rza Tahmasib's drama circle. In 1937, she toured Azerbaijani cities as part of a theater troupe.

On April 4, 1938, she started working at the Azerbaijan State Theater of Musical Comedy as a first category actress and simultaneously enrolled in the acting department of the theater technical school, which she graduated from in 1942.

Zeynalova's teachers were Alexander Tuganov, Muharram Hashimov, Agasadyg Geraybeyli. During her studies at the technical school, she embodied the characters of Katherine ("The Taming of the Shrew", William Shakespeare), Elvira ("Don Juan", Jean Baptiste Molière), Elizabeth ("Mary Stuart", Friedrich Schiller).

The actress played such roles in Azerbaijani classical operettas as Gulperi, aunt Jahan, Sanam ("Husband and Wife", "Arshin Mal Alan", "If Not That One, Then This One" by Uzeyir Hajibeyov), Melek khanum and Kelek khanum ("Fifty-year-old Young Man", Zulfugar Hajibeyov).

Especially rich expressions in the roles of Jennet khala, Nargile and Zuleikha, national humor and naturalness are rare pearls of the Azerbaijani stage. The actress, who participated in dozens of humorous television demonstrations and television performances, also starred in many Azerbaijani films. Among them, the most famous characters were: Fatmanise ("Stepmother"), Telli ("Great Support"), Zuleikha ("Star"), Jennet khala ("Mother-in-law"), Gulsum ("Adventures of Molla Fatali"), Asli khala ("The Groom Was Stolen").

N. Zeynalova was one of the favorite actresses of the Azerbaijani theater for many years. The roles she played entered the golden fund of Azerbaijani theatrical art.

For her great contribution to the development of the musical theater of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on May 24, 1960, she was awarded the honorary title of Honored Artist, and in 1967 - People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR.

In 1974, she was awarded the State Prize of Azerbaijan for her role in the musical comedy "Hijran".

In the same year, Rauf Kazymovsky made a television film about her creative work called "The Smile of an Actress".

N. Zeynalova died on March 10, 2004 in Baku. She was buried in the Alley of Honor.

The Azerbaijan Youth Theater and an oil tanker (home port - Taganrog, Russia) are named after her.

On March 17, 2016, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the outstanding actress.