Rashid Behbudov
Encyclopedia
Rashid Behbudov was an Azerbaijani
singer and actor
. He sang in Azerbaijani
, Russian
, Persian
, Turkish
, Hindi, Armenian
, Urdu and Bengali
among other languages.
Rashid Behbudov was born in Tbilisi
, Georgia
in 1915. His father, Majid Behbudov was a singer as well. In 1938-1944, Rashid worked at Yerevan
State Philharmonia and Opera House, and in 1945, upon the invitation of Tofig Guliyev
, Rashid Behbudov moved to Baku
. In the same year, he was assigned the main role of Asgar in the film "Arshin Mal Alan" The Cloth Peddler, based on the by Uzeyir Hajibeyov
. His role in this film combined with his vocal skills brought him fame throughout Azerbaijan
.
In a short time, Behbudov became also prominent Azerbaijani pop singer. His combination of vocal masterpieces ranged from classical performances to lyrical songs. Behbudov's rare vocal talent gave him opportunity to travel beyond the "Iron Curtain" of the Soviet Union
, and as a singer he toured with concert performances in several countries of the world, including Iran
, Turkey
, China
, India
, Japan
, Argentina
, and many other countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
In 1966, he created the State Song Theater, which still carries his name, and became its soloist
and artistic manager.
(1885-1948). Asgar was the rich merchant, who disguised himself as a cloth peddler just to get the chance to enter the courtyards of homes so that he could catch a glimpse of all the pretty young women and choose one for his bride.
This version of the movie came at the end of World War II
and was so successful that it not only made Rashid famous, but it won Hajibeyov the coveted Stalin Prize.
When the directors were getting ready to cast the film, one of them, Rza Tahmasib
, had thought he would offer Rashid the role of Vali, Asgar's servant. Vali's character was comical, a trait which came naturally for Rashid. However, during the audition, Tahmasib heard Rashid sing an aria written for Asgar and decided to give him the lead role instead. The film turned out to be so successful that it was shown in more than 25 countries.
, he was accompanied by the pianist Chingiz Sadikhov and tar player Ahsan Dadashov. They were so popular that their two-week tour in Iran stretched into two months. His first concert in Turkey
took place in 1961 with the talented violin player Azad Aliyev. The concerts in Ankara
and Istanbul
were extremely successful as well.
As Azad Sharifov reports:
I was lucky enough to see one of his concerts in Ankara in 1966. At that time, I was a correspondent for the newspaper "Izvestiya." It was his tenth concert on that tour. The concert hall was sold out, but I decided to try to go anyway. Fortunately, Rashid's manager saw me and motioned for me to follow him backstage. There I found Rashid pacing the floor. The manager cautioned me, "He's getting ready to go on stagebetter not disturb him right now." I stood silently as if frozen.
Suddenly, Rashid looked up, recognized me and came and hugged me. "Where have you been for so long?" he asked. "If you only knew how much I miss Baku
and my daughter. Thank God, I'll be flying back tomorrow. So good of you to come. After the concert, let's have dinner together." I remember that the Turkish audience that night knew all of Rashid's repertoire by heart and sang along with him.
and artist Tahir Salahov
.
At these gatherings, Rashid used to tell stories about his South American tours 56 flights and landings in total. Some concerts were even held at extremely high altitudes (4,200 meters above sea level). During intermission, they used to offer him an oxygen tank, instead of the usual cup of tea.
Rashid wrote home to his wife, Jeyran, that the concerts in Chile
were especially difficult because of the ongoing political crisis there: "My dear ones, this is the tenth day of our dangerous tour. Wherever we go by bus, we are accompanied by soldiers. Sometimes we can hear shooting in the distance. I'm rushing off to a concert which will take place at the Opera Theater which is the same building in which Russian singer Fedor Shalyapin, Russian composer and pianist Anton Rubinstein
and American violinist Menuhin have all given concerts. At each of these concerts we have taken the audience by storm. Each has been a success. I'm so happy to get the chance to pave a way for Azerbaijani songs. But I want to see you. All the best. Kissing you, especially my little Rada. Your father, Rashid. August 5, 1973."
and gave six concerts there. His first appearance was in 1952. Rashid sang Azerbaijan
i songs and then several songs in Hindi
, Urdu
and Bengali
. It was a sensation. Members of the audience told him that he sang Indian songs just like a native. In India, he toured Delhi
, Mumbai
(Bombay) and Calcutta. It was in India that he first met the great Indian actor Raj Kapoor
and the actress Nargis
. They remained friends for the rest of their lives. Later, Rashid wrote a book about his trip to India entitled "In Far India."
A year later in 1953, Rashid went back to India with a group of famous Soviet musicians. This time he returned as a familiar face. Many people throughout the country knew him. At each concert, he was asked to sing the most popular Indian song at the time, "India is the Best Country."
It was on this trip that something extraordinary happened. Rashid's train was on its way to Hyderabad. Suddenly, a huge crowd of Indians surrounded the train, holding flashlights, fruit and flowers. They made the train come to a stop and insisted that Rashid sing for them. So he obliged and stood in the doorway of the train and entertained the crowd by singing Azerbaijani and Indian songs. Eventually, the train was able to proceed.
," the highest honor that could be given to an artist, had to be approved by the Kremlin. But the Soviet government balked and made excuses. They would admit that he was great, but then would add disparagingly, "But he's just a pop singer, not an opera singer."
But Rashid was not just a pop singer. He could handle extremely complicated opera roles as well which he proved in the portrayal of Balash in Fikrat Amirov's opera, "Sevil" ( 1953). This work is based on the storyline of a dramatic play of the same name by Jafar Jabbarli earlier in the century. The opera is characterized by its bright and colorful national melodies. Amirov himself offered the part of Balash to Rashid Behbudov.
In May 1959, a grand display of Azerbaijani talent went on display in Moscow during the cultural event dubbed "The Decade of Azerbaijan Culture." During the Soviet period, the Kremlin went to great lengths to create the illusion that the many ethnicities of its vast conquered lands were "one big happy family." They often created cultural events to foster and cultivate this belief. But it provided a chance for the various republics to make their art known throughout that vast land that spanned ten time zones.
Amirov's "Sevil" was performed at this event with Rashid playing the role of Balash. He demonstrated an unusual brilliancy and talent and for this he was finally awarded the coveted title of "People's Artist of the USSR."
already had an Opera and Ballet Theater, a Philharmonic Hall, a Comedy Theater and various other buildings dedicated to various genres of music, but nowhere was there a home for the genre of popular music.
Behbudov was already an established musician when he decided to undertake this project. He envisioned each song as a mini-spectacle with its own heroes, theme and development and he went in search of a worthy setting where the dramatic aspects of these popular songs could be dramatically presented. Creating the Song Theater became a pet project for him. He was very proud of it and spent a great deal of energy, anxiety and time on the conversion of a pre-Soviet Jewish synagogue into the Song Theater. Simultaneously, he worked on creating a professional music group that would be associated with the theater.
But in the spring of 1989, all these projects soon came to an end. The theater was preparing a new program for the Noruz holidays (the Spring Solstice on March 21 celebrating the New Year). Rashid looked fine despite his age of 73. His voice was still so strong and beautiful. But suddenly, during one of the practices, he took ill.
With great difficulty, his friends managed to get him to Moscow to the Kuntsevo Hospital
, which was considered the best hospital in the Soviet Union at the time. Doctors struggled to save him. But it was too late. Rashid Behbudov was dying from kidney disease. Sadly, he was so far from home. Until the last minute, he kept expecting the door to open and friends to walk in. Every time the door opened, he would ask, "Have my dear friends come to visit me?"
Rashid was hoping that some of those who were attending the sessions of the Supreme Soviet in the Kremlin would drop by his hospital room. But during those days prior to Azerbaijan's independence (1991), an enormous struggle was going on in the Soviet Union. Those were difficult days for Azerbaijan. Friends were occupied with other things. Only Jeyran Khanum, his wife, stayed by his side in the hospital.
In one of his last letters written from the hospital, he wrote with great optimism, "My dear ones, my boisterous loyal friends! We will soon be together. It will be necessary to work by yourselves during this interim. You'll have to work hard. Please know that your loyalty to the theater and to art is the best medicine for me." But Rashid did not recover, he was too ill, and on June 9, he died.
• "The Show Must Go On: Memories of Accompanying Azerbaijan's Greatest Singers," by Chinghiz Sadikhov in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 10:3 (Autumn 2002), pp. 60-63.
• "Rashid Behbudov: With a Song in His Heart," by Azad Sharifov in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 5:4 (Winter 1997), pp. 58-61.
• CD series: Arshin Mal Alan (The Cloth Peddler) in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 9:3 (Autumn 2001), p. 58.
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
singer and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He sang 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...
, 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...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
, Hindi, Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
, Urdu and Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
among other languages.
Rashid Behbudov was born in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
in 1915. His father, Majid Behbudov was a singer as well. In 1938-1944, Rashid worked at Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
State Philharmonia and Opera House, and in 1945, upon the invitation of Tofig Guliyev
Tofig Guliyev
Tofig Alakbar oglu Guliyev – Azerbaijani composer, pianist, conductor, People's Artist of the USSR.-Biography:Tofig Guliyev was born on November 7, 1917, in Baku, in the family of salary worker. He became a student of the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire when he was 12 years old due to his musical...
, Rashid Behbudov moved to Baku
Baku
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...
. In the same year, he was assigned the main role of Asgar in the film "Arshin Mal Alan" The Cloth Peddler, based on the 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...
. His role in this film combined with his vocal skills brought him fame throughout Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
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...
.
In a short time, Behbudov became also prominent Azerbaijani pop singer. His combination of vocal masterpieces ranged from classical performances to lyrical songs. Behbudov's rare vocal talent gave him opportunity to travel beyond the "Iron Curtain" of 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 as a singer he toured with concert performances in several countries of the world, including Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and many other countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
In 1966, he created the State Song Theater, which still carries his name, and became its soloist
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
and artistic manager.
The Cloth Peddler (Arshin Mal Alan)
Rashid was almost 30 years old when he was chosen to perform the lead role of Asgar. It was the third time a film had been made The Cloth Peddler ("Arshin Mal Alan"), based on the music comedy by Uzeyir HajibeyovUzeyir 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...
(1885-1948). Asgar was the rich merchant, who disguised himself as a cloth peddler just to get the chance to enter the courtyards of homes so that he could catch a glimpse of all the pretty young women and choose one for his bride.
This version of the movie came at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was so successful that it not only made Rashid famous, but it won Hajibeyov the coveted Stalin Prize.
When the directors were getting ready to cast the film, one of them, Rza Tahmasib
Rza Tahmasib
Rza Abbasgulu oglu Tahmasib was an Azerbaijani film director and actor.-Early life:Tahmasib was born Rza Tahmasibbeyov to a wealthy merchant family. He received his primary education at Maktab-i Tarbiyya school in Nakhchivan, where he learned Russian, Persian and Arabic languages. He continued his...
, had thought he would offer Rashid the role of Vali, Asgar's servant. Vali's character was comical, a trait which came naturally for Rashid. However, during the audition, Tahmasib heard Rashid sing an aria written for Asgar and decided to give him the lead role instead. The film turned out to be so successful that it was shown in more than 25 countries.
Iran and Turkey
Rashid often performed in the Near East. In IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, he was accompanied by the pianist Chingiz Sadikhov and tar player Ahsan Dadashov. They were so popular that their two-week tour in Iran stretched into two months. His first concert in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
took place in 1961 with the talented violin player Azad Aliyev. The concerts in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
and Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
were extremely successful as well.
As Azad Sharifov reports:
I was lucky enough to see one of his concerts in Ankara in 1966. At that time, I was a correspondent for the newspaper "Izvestiya." It was his tenth concert on that tour. The concert hall was sold out, but I decided to try to go anyway. Fortunately, Rashid's manager saw me and motioned for me to follow him backstage. There I found Rashid pacing the floor. The manager cautioned me, "He's getting ready to go on stagebetter not disturb him right now." I stood silently as if frozen.
Suddenly, Rashid looked up, recognized me and came and hugged me. "Where have you been for so long?" he asked. "If you only knew how much I miss Baku
Baku
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...
and my daughter. Thank God, I'll be flying back tomorrow. So good of you to come. After the concert, let's have dinner together." I remember that the Turkish audience that night knew all of Rashid's repertoire by heart and sang along with him.
South America
Rashid was a sociable person; he loved getting together with friends. In the meetings in Moscow in the Artists' Union, Rashid used to meet friends like composer Zakir Bagirov, artist Toghrul NarimanbeyovTogrul Narimanbekov
Togrul Farman oglu Narimanbekov is an Azeri painter and a People's Artist of the Azerbaijani SSR since 1967. He was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1980 and the Leninist Komsomol Prize of Azerbaijan SSR in 1967....
and artist Tahir Salahov
Tahir Salahov
Tahir Salahov is an Azerbaijani painter and draughtsman....
.
At these gatherings, Rashid used to tell stories about his South American tours 56 flights and landings in total. Some concerts were even held at extremely high altitudes (4,200 meters above sea level). During intermission, they used to offer him an oxygen tank, instead of the usual cup of tea.
Rashid wrote home to his wife, Jeyran, that the concerts in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
were especially difficult because of the ongoing political crisis there: "My dear ones, this is the tenth day of our dangerous tour. Wherever we go by bus, we are accompanied by soldiers. Sometimes we can hear shooting in the distance. I'm rushing off to a concert which will take place at the Opera Theater which is the same building in which Russian singer Fedor Shalyapin, Russian composer and pianist Anton Rubinstein
Anton Rubinstein
Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a Russian-Jewish pianist, composer and conductor. As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos...
and American violinist Menuhin have all given concerts. At each of these concerts we have taken the audience by storm. Each has been a success. I'm so happy to get the chance to pave a way for Azerbaijani songs. But I want to see you. All the best. Kissing you, especially my little Rada. Your father, Rashid. August 5, 1973."
India
Rashid was also very popular in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and gave six concerts there. His first appearance was in 1952. Rashid sang Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
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...
i songs and then several songs in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
and Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. It was a sensation. Members of the audience told him that he sang Indian songs just like a native. In India, he toured Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(Bombay) and Calcutta. It was in India that he first met the great Indian actor Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor
Known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor Rāj Kapūr, 14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards, while his films Awaara and Boot Polish were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the...
and the actress Nargis
Nargis
Nargis Dutt , born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting carer began in 1942 with Tamanna...
. They remained friends for the rest of their lives. Later, Rashid wrote a book about his trip to India entitled "In Far India."
A year later in 1953, Rashid went back to India with a group of famous Soviet musicians. This time he returned as a familiar face. Many people throughout the country knew him. At each concert, he was asked to sing the most popular Indian song at the time, "India is the Best Country."
It was on this trip that something extraordinary happened. Rashid's train was on its way to Hyderabad. Suddenly, a huge crowd of Indians surrounded the train, holding flashlights, fruit and flowers. They made the train come to a stop and insisted that Rashid sing for them. So he obliged and stood in the doorway of the train and entertained the crowd by singing Azerbaijani and Indian songs. Eventually, the train was able to proceed.
Official honors
Even though Rashid was extremely popular, official recognition of his contributions to the performing arts was late in coming. The title of "People's Artist of the USSRPeople's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to citizens of the Soviet Union.- Nomenclature and significance :...
," the highest honor that could be given to an artist, had to be approved by the Kremlin. But the Soviet government balked and made excuses. They would admit that he was great, but then would add disparagingly, "But he's just a pop singer, not an opera singer."
But Rashid was not just a pop singer. He could handle extremely complicated opera roles as well which he proved in the portrayal of Balash in Fikrat Amirov's opera, "Sevil" ( 1953). This work is based on the storyline of a dramatic play of the same name by Jafar Jabbarli earlier in the century. The opera is characterized by its bright and colorful national melodies. Amirov himself offered the part of Balash to Rashid Behbudov.
In May 1959, a grand display of Azerbaijani talent went on display in Moscow during the cultural event dubbed "The Decade of Azerbaijan Culture." During the Soviet period, the Kremlin went to great lengths to create the illusion that the many ethnicities of its vast conquered lands were "one big happy family." They often created cultural events to foster and cultivate this belief. But it provided a chance for the various republics to make their art known throughout that vast land that spanned ten time zones.
Amirov's "Sevil" was performed at this event with Rashid playing the role of Balash. He demonstrated an unusual brilliancy and talent and for this he was finally awarded the coveted title of "People's Artist of the USSR."
Song theater
It was Rashid's dream to create a place in Azerbaijan specifically designated as a Song Theater. Prior to the Soviet occupation, 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...
already had an Opera and Ballet Theater, a Philharmonic Hall, a Comedy Theater and various other buildings dedicated to various genres of music, but nowhere was there a home for the genre of popular music.
Behbudov was already an established musician when he decided to undertake this project. He envisioned each song as a mini-spectacle with its own heroes, theme and development and he went in search of a worthy setting where the dramatic aspects of these popular songs could be dramatically presented. Creating the Song Theater became a pet project for him. He was very proud of it and spent a great deal of energy, anxiety and time on the conversion of a pre-Soviet Jewish synagogue into the Song Theater. Simultaneously, he worked on creating a professional music group that would be associated with the theater.
But in the spring of 1989, all these projects soon came to an end. The theater was preparing a new program for the Noruz holidays (the Spring Solstice on March 21 celebrating the New Year). Rashid looked fine despite his age of 73. His voice was still so strong and beautiful. But suddenly, during one of the practices, he took ill.
With great difficulty, his friends managed to get him to Moscow to the Kuntsevo Hospital
Central Clinical Hospital
The Central Clinical Hospital of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation is a heavily-guarded facility seven miles northwest of the Kremlin in an exclusive, wooded suburban area known as Kuntsevo. It's considered to be the best hospital in Russia and one of the best hospitals in...
, which was considered the best hospital in the Soviet Union at the time. Doctors struggled to save him. But it was too late. Rashid Behbudov was dying from kidney disease. Sadly, he was so far from home. Until the last minute, he kept expecting the door to open and friends to walk in. Every time the door opened, he would ask, "Have my dear friends come to visit me?"
Rashid was hoping that some of those who were attending the sessions of the Supreme Soviet in the Kremlin would drop by his hospital room. But during those days prior to Azerbaijan's independence (1991), an enormous struggle was going on in the Soviet Union. Those were difficult days for Azerbaijan. Friends were occupied with other things. Only Jeyran Khanum, his wife, stayed by his side in the hospital.
In one of his last letters written from the hospital, he wrote with great optimism, "My dear ones, my boisterous loyal friends! We will soon be together. It will be necessary to work by yourselves during this interim. You'll have to work hard. Please know that your loyalty to the theater and to art is the best medicine for me." But Rashid did not recover, he was too ill, and on June 9, he died.
External links
- Listen to Rashid Behbudov, Music Section of Azerbaijan International
• "The Show Must Go On: Memories of Accompanying Azerbaijan's Greatest Singers," by Chinghiz Sadikhov in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 10:3 (Autumn 2002), pp. 60-63.
• "Rashid Behbudov: With a Song in His Heart," by Azad Sharifov in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 5:4 (Winter 1997), pp. 58-61.
• CD series: Arshin Mal Alan (The Cloth Peddler) in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 9:3 (Autumn 2001), p. 58.