THE CASTE OF PRIESTS

Museum workers resemble a caste of Egyptian priests, the keepers of sacred values ​​for future generations. But let us not forget that museums, in addition to storage, are engaged in scientific, educational and popularization activities such as holding special programs for children and teenagers. The development of the museum business in Azerbaijan, as well as all over the world, is of great importance. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) was established in 1946 to support and develop creative activities in museums. With the development of information technology, it is possible to arrange virtual tours in museums. But it still seems that virtual reality fails to give us a sense of reality that we experience when we visit museums directly.

The Incarnation of the Plan

In Baku, there is a remarkable State Museum of Theatrical Art operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In 2004, the staff of the museum was awarded the prize of the Union of Theatrical Figures Golden Dervish in the nomination For the collection and storage of theatrical history. The museum has several exhibition halls with amazing exhibits covering the history of theatrical art in Azerbaijan from the moment of inception until today. They form historical evidences related to the development of drama, opera, ballet, and puppet art in Azerbaijan.

The museum was established in 1934, and in 1935, it was named after Jafar Jabbarly, a classic of Azerbaijani dramatic art. It was the first museum of theatrical art in Transcaucasia and the Middle East. On November 25, the museum turned 83 years old.

It all began with the idea of ​​Agakerim Sharifov, who visited Moscow in 1926 with the first release of students of the theatrical technical school. There they visited the museum of Bakhrushin. Exhibition halls had an indelible impression on Sharifov. Since 1920, he has begun collecting the personal belongings of famous actors to preserve their memory for future generations. After returning from Moscow, Agakerim Sharifov, who at that time was deputy director of the theatrical technical school, began thinking about creating a similar museum in Baku. He organized the first theatrical exhibition, which was held in the hall of the Taghiyev Theater in 1926. The exhibition was a huge success. But this was just the beginning of practical incarnation of his plan. In 1927, at the third floor of the Taghiyev Theater, he arranged a more extensive exhibition of theatrical exhibits. The opening was a solemn event covered by all local newspapers. Even the central newspaper Pravda did not ignore such an event. In fact, it was the first theater museum in Transcaucasia! This enabled Sharifov to request the People's Commissariat (ministry) for Education to create a museum of the history of theatrical art in Azerbaijan. His request was met and, finally, a relevant order was issued. From that day on, the theaters of Azerbaijan were to transfer their archives to the State Museum of the History of Theatrical Art for perpetual storage. For a while, a small exposition was in a small room of the State Museum (now the Museum of the History of Azerbaijan), but then moved to the third floor of the Taghiyev Theater.

Who was the first director of the museum?

“Of course, Aghakerim Sharifov, who directed the museum until 1942,” says the Honored Culture Worker, Director of the Azerbaijan Theater Museum, ICOM member Sevinj Mikayilova in her interview with Region Plus.

Currently the museum is located at 49 Neftchilar Avenue (Museum Center). Since its opening, the museum's funds have grown reaching 137 thousand items. These are personal belongings and the props of famous actors, sketches of decorations and costumes, director notes, programs, posters, manuscripts, photographs, personal correspondence, portraits of prominent cultural and art figures, etc. Seven rooms on the third floor of the Museum Center are filled with unique exhibits, which are documentary evidence of the Azerbaijani theater art covering almost a century and a half of its history. Personal archives of more than 600 famous theatrical figures including personal belongings of Jafar Jabbarli, Alexander Tuganov, Adil Iskenderov, Hokuma Gurbanova, Mohsun Sanani, Hamlet Gurbanov, Yashar Nuriyev, opera singer Yelena Titarenko and many others. Also, memorial items, photographs and negatives, mock-up sets, props, etc.

It contains a unique, documentary confirmation of information about what were and how the billboards and programs looked more than a hundred years ago! The oldest exhibit is the poster of the first comedy play staged in 1873 and authored by Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, Vizier of the Lankaran Khanate. There is a photo of the first theatrical company of 1888, the program of the premiere of the first oriental opera, Leila and Majnun, played in 1908. The first programs and posters were often published on silk fabrics. Walking through the exhibition halls, you will be able to see in the form, texture and kind of theatrical posters how time changes, how life changes, introducing new ideological attitudes. This can be seen even by scripture of texts placed on posters: Farsi is replaced by Latin, then Cyrillic and again Latin. These are all originals preserved for our grandchildren and us. Saved by people, passionately fond of their business, and the theatrical culture of their country.

Is the exposition permanently operational or is it updated regularly?

We are regularly updating the archives, as we receive materials at the end of each season from various theaters of our country. In addition, by the jubilees of theaters and our luminaries, international conferences and festivals, various events of a national scale, we arrange mobile exhibitions related to theatrical art of our country.

Do you think the museum is a source of living or memorial information?

Memorial, of course! The past speaks to us in the language of information facts, objects that preserve the energy memory of people of the past.

Sevinj-khanim did mean it. Like any person obsessed with his profession, she believes that the exhibits kept in the museum are sacred. That they all have sacred significance because each of them is connected with the lives of many people who had sacrificed themselves for theatrical art. But no matter how their personal and professional destinies unfolded, they were the ones who went this way ahead of us. Visitors including students, parents with children, and tourists often ask about personal and professional destinies of the masters of Azerbaijani theatrical. Each of these age groups have their own interests. Children are mostly interested in props, asking how they used to look and work before their birth. Students usually are interested as researchers. But the tourists are interested in absolutely everything. They methodically and scrupulously delve into all the details and circumstances of the creation and development of the theater in Azerbaijan. Many letters and requests for help come to the museum from abroad. These are personal requests, and requests from various organizations and institutions. Including from the former Soviet republics: Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia...

Do your employees get in touch with other museums or theaters?

Yes. A museum dedicated to Faina Ranevskaya is being created in Taganrog. As you know, she has lived in Baku for several years. The museum officials have asked us to assist them informationally, and we gladly help them. Not so long ago, the organizers of the web-portal Kinosozvezdie (Russia) assisted in providing information material about the actors from Baku who were actively filmed in Soviet period.

However, modern museums do not only collect and store information, or hold scientific studies of theatrical past, provide materials on films or books, articles, and reports. It is much wider, more diverse. Moreover, the Internet makes virtual tours to museums possible. And it is in some sense an undesirable competitor! Because it is very convenient to walk around the halls of the Louvre or the Tretyakov Gallery without leaving home. On the other hand, this deprives us of the opportunity to directly contact with the exhibits, sensing their attractive magnetism. No matter what it is: props that have belonged to a theatrical star, or his make-up, or a theatrical costume. The main thing is that we can feel the energetic message from the past. No computer screen, even the most high-tech, can make us feel so real! Therefore, in such museums as ours, the history of theatrical art, we must walk by ourselves.

Feedback: children

But how can we make sure that the information stored in museums is not boring and archaic? This is what Sevinj-khanim and her scientific staff think. They come up with new forms of work to interact with visitors. First of all, various activities with children. For museum staff, this is the most important area of ​​work. Art in the life of a growing person should become an unconscious necessity. Like a desire to breathe, for instance.

“We develop and implement various programs to promote theatrical art as one of the most important types of art. These include role-playing games: artists, mockers, storytellers and even to some extent actors, as well as interactive action. Children like this form of training very much. For students, we have developed other programs. They are more complex and involve research,” says Sevinj-khanim.

During our conversation, the director patiently explained to someone over the phone how the game model of the scene should be and what needs to be done in order for lighting in this gaming box to appear. It seemed to me funny that the museum is working with children. But the director explained that the role functions - writers, artists, illuminators, directors - are very important not only for understanding theater as an art form, but also for awakening the creative imagination of children, which will become the guarantor of love for theatrical art in the future. And now, while the children wander through the halls and ask questions about Mirza Fatali Akhundov's creativity, Huseyn Arablinsky, the founder of the mugham opera Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the first Azerbaijani opera singer Shovket Mammadova, they collect information that someday will inevitably promote love for art. The museum does everything possible to remain interesting for their visitors. Thematic exhibitions are organized periodically, when we demonstrate rare exhibits stored in our stockpiles. We also hold memorial evenings dedicated to the great masters of art, as well as lectures on their activities. But this is the traditional part of the daily work of the museum. Currently we develop new forms of interaction with visitors. Life requires a completely different approach and more active interaction by the type of interactive action or quests. But our employees must have proper skills for this kind of work.

What do you do to ensure that your staff meets the requirements of modern life?

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism regularly conducts trainings for museum staff. I think that this is an important part of our common work. It gives us an opportunity to use new knowledge and skills, to apply them in practice in the halls of our museum. Our task is not only to educate, but also to guide the younger generation to form their identity in love with art. Knowledge and understanding of art not only enhance personalities, but also make persons self-sufficient, confident and strong. We understand this, so we are looking for new forms of interaction. Now we are working on the idea of ​​holding a series of events for the youth as part of the preparations for the anniversary of the Azerbaijani theater. Perhaps on a competitive basis. The idea is under development, therefore, I am not yet ready to tell you any more about this...

After our conversation, we went through the exhibition halls of the museum and the director showed the room where they hold all the mass events. In the corner of the room stood a dummy of an ancient theater pedestal, which is used as part of the scenery. She looked at it thoughtfully and sadly said that these items had to be changed, as aesthetically and historically the model is not quite in line with the spirit of the late 19^th century. She added that she had been considering options for establishing creative contacts with students of the theatrical and staging department of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts for a long time. But for now it was just a dream of creative friendship.

What else are you dreaming about?

Many things. For example, I would like to have interactive sensory monitors in the halls of our museum, to create a youth club of museum fans and theatrical art. And that all of our employees are healthy and happy. Many things...

Let all your dreams come true!