Yerevan state Azerbaijan dramatic theater

In the early years (1880-1882) of the theater, performances were presented by amateur actors in Yerevan.[1] French traveller Jean Chardin also indicated his thoughts in his writings, when he visited Yerevan at the end of the seventh century. During his travel he watched the show presented by male actors and dancers there. In 1882, the plays of the Armenian author V. Madatov were also started to stage in the Azerbaijanian language. After the arrival of Firudin Kocharli to work as a teacher in Yerevan in 1885, drama theatre also encountered the successful performances. He was eager to participate in the city's cultural occasions and assembles a troupe which staged “Monsieur Jordan and the Dervish Mesteli Shah” base on the Akhundov's play in 1886. The play staged in Turkish language by the students of the Teacher's Seminary on 4 April 1886.

Since 1896, performances in the Azeri language have started to take place regularly in Yerevan. In the pre-revolutionary years, the amateurs were staged several well-known plays in the region such as The Inspector General Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, "Haji Gara" M.F. Akhundov, "Nadir Shah" Nariman Narimanov, "Deads" Jalil Mammadguluzade. Early staged plays were: Dursunali and Ballibadi (1893), Girt-girt (Cluck) (1893), Haji Gara (1894), Reluctant Marriage (1899). These plays were staged in the small venues and were not covered by press.[2]

Canpoladov Brother's theatre was also chosen as a place for staging the plays in Yerevan. On 8 December 1896 "Monsieur Jordan and Dervish Mastali Shah" was performed in that theatre. E. Ter-Grigoryan praised this play and performers, especially, the role of Shahrabanu in the writing of the newspaper Nor dar (New age) of 19 December 1896. The role of Shahrabanu was acted by Yunis Nuri who worked for fifty years in the Yerevan Drama Theatre as an actor, stage director and director of the theater. During the working years in the theatre he along with Mashadi Ismayil staged some plays such as, The Vizier of the Lenkeran Khan (1897), Avarice Creates Enemies (1899), My tongue is my enemy (1900), The Alchemist Molla Ibrahimkhalil (1901), Ignorance (with E.Sultanov, 1902), Haji Gara (with F. Abdulla, 1902). Moreover, his further plays were staged in the wider Canpoladov Brother's theatre between 1905 and 1909, including "The Government Inspector" by Gogol.[2][3]

In March 1928 Yerevan Turkish theater was established under the leadership of Yunis Nuri. The theater functioned in the Armenian SSR, remaining the only Azerbaijani theater in Armenia.[7] In the 1930s, the theater was called the "Azerbaijan state theater named after J. Jabbarly or the "Armenian State Turkish theater named after J. Jabbarly.[3]

Since 1989 the troupe of the theater continued its activity in Baku, in the theatrical studio at the Azerbaijan Drama Theater. In 1994 the status of state was again given to the theater by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. Yerevan State Azerbaijan theater continues to stage plays in Azerbaijan and Georgia, Dagistan and Turkey. On 16 October 2007 the theater's anniversary was celebrated at the Azerbaijan State Musical Comedy theater in Baku by the presidential decree.[8][9]