Erevan State Azerbaijan Drama Theatre named after Jafar JabbarliAt the beginning of 1882, teacher of Erevan city gymnasium, well-known enlightener Mashadi Ismayil put “Greediness makes enemies” play of Vasag Madatov on stage together with his pupils. And thus in Erevan professional Azerbaijan theatre was founded. Since 1886, eminent enlightener, pedagogue Firudin bey Kocharli led the theatre. Under his leadership and direction, “Vizier of Lankaran khanate”, “Monsieur Jordan and Darvish Mastali shah” and “Haji Gara” by Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, “Dursunali and bamiyeh” by Sultanmajid Ganizade and other plays were put on stage. Yunis Nuri led the theatre through 1895-1945. Azerbaijan theatre in Erevan gained important achievements from actors’ performance, director works and repertoire point of view at the beginning of XX century. The theatre received state theatre status in 1928. It was named after prominent playwright Jafar Jabbarli in 1935. Forced resettlement process of Turkic people living in Erevan and surrounding regions to Azerbaijan started since 1948 affected adversely the theatre and the theatre was moved to Basarkecher rayon of Goycha region in 1949. After one year performance in there, the theatre ceased to function and on the basis of the theatre the people’s theatre was organized. Finally, in 1967 Erevan State Azerbaijan Drama Theatre named after Jafar Jabbarli was restored with the order of the government and moved to Erevan city. Armenian brigands claiming for Nagorno Karabakh territory of Azerbaijan burnt the equipment of the theatre in 1988. After this, Erevan theatre functioned as a theatre-studio under Academic National Drama Theatre. Iftikhar Piriyev, a well-known actor leads the theatre since 2000. With the order dated February 8, 2008 of Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Palace of Culture named after Mammad Amin Rasulzade in Binagadi district of Baku was given to Erevan State Azerbaijan Drama Theatre named after Jafar Jabbarli. Thus Erevan theatre had its first permanent building. In recent years, Erevan State Azerbaijan Drama Theatre named after Jafar Jabbarli was on successful tours in Turkey, Iran, Georgia, and the Republic of Dagestan of the Russian Federation.