Today marks the 172nd anniversary of the birth of Najaf bey Vezirov

Today marks the 172nd anniversary of the birth of the renowned Azerbaijani writer, playwright, publicist, theater figure, author of the first Azerbaijani tragedy "The Woe of Fakhreddin" and one of the founders of Azerbaijani theater - Najaf bey Vazirov.

As BAKU.WS reminds, he was born on April 2, 1854, in Shusha.

Najaf bey Vazirov received his initial education at a parish school ("mollakhana"). A year later, he enrolled in the Shusha city school. In 1868, he went to Baku with the intention of pursuing further education. Najaf bey Vazirov managed to enroll in a gymnasium in Baku. There he became acquainted with Hasan bey Zardabi, who was teaching at the same gymnasium. Seeing his student's interest in theater, H. Zardabi involved the young man in the staging of the comedy "Haji Gara" by Mirza Fatali Akhundzade. During his years of study, Najaf bey Vazirov worked as a tutor. Having graduated from the gymnasium with a silver medal, he continued his studies in Russia - first in Saint Petersburg, and then, after an illness, moved to Moscow and enrolled in the Petrovskaya Agricultural Academy.

The years of study left a great mark on the creative development of Najaf bey Vazirov. Within the walls of the Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Academy, which was a hotbed of revolutionary ideas among students, he became imbued with liberating ideas and sentiments and grew close to progressive youth. From this time began his friendship with Vladimir Korolenko (1853-1921), who later became a famous Russian writer. During his years of study at the academy, Najaf bey Vazirov collaborated with Hasan bey Zardabi, sending various publicistic articles and essays to his newspaper "Ekinchi."

After completing his studies in Moscow, Vazirov worked for some time as a forester in Dilijan, but due to the closure of the Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Academy because of the unreliability and revolutionary spirit of its students, he, as its graduate, was dismissed from his position as forester. Upon arriving in Baku, Vazirov passed the bar examination and began serving as a defender of the poor and disadvantaged in the city court, where he had the opportunity to closely observe the bureaucracy of officials, social and everyday conflicts of the urban environment, which enriched his experience as a playwright and publicist.

Najaf bey Vazirov wrote about 15 dramatic works that realistically depicted the customs and manners of Azerbaijani landowners, merchants, and bourgeois dealers of the late 19th - early 20th century. He wrote the first tragedy in Azerbaijani dramaturgy, "The Woe of Fakhreddin" (1896), in which he created the image of a young liberal nobleman who protests against feudal orders and strives for the transformation of the patriarchal way of life and the spread of culture.

Vazirov's plays were first staged in amateur performances in Baku and Shusha. From the 20th century onward, they became part of the repertoire of all Azerbaijani theaters. From 1873 to 1912, Vazirov served as a theater organizer and director.

His work is marked by faithfulness of everyday color, vividness of characterizations, and the richness of folk language. Vazirov's realistic everyday dramas are distinguished by their satirical orientation. Najaf bey Vazirov raised issues relevant to his time but believed that customs could be changed through the spread of enlightenment.

He passed away on July 9, 1926, in Chukhur-Yurt from a heart disease. He was buried in Baku.