Having attended the International Art Contest in Moscow, young actors began to understand that for the development of the Turkmen theater, they need to broaden their knowledge every day. In addition to trainings and rehearsals, they studied foreign languages, foreign drama and classics of Russian literature. Already in the 1955, the grotesque performance “The Inspector General” based on the play by Nikolai Gogol, presented by the Turkmen theater in the Russian capital, received approval from even the most demanding critics.
People’s Artist Bazar Amanov, then a young man still thirsting for a creative breakthrough, took his first inexperienced steps in directing. He immediately realized that theatrical studies should continue throughout his life. Therefore, when a director’s group opened at the theater, Bazar Amanov became its most attentive listener. He often argued with the playwrights, gave them a hint how to write, and soon he took up a pen and wrote about 15 plays.
Having perfect knowledge in oriental poetry and classical drama, Bazar Amanov creates the musical play “Zohre and Tahir” based on the famous destan of 19th century Turkmen poet Mollanepes. But Amanov’s creative search never ceases to amaze the public. He also translates into reality the old dream of staging the national play “Keimir-Kyor”, which will eventually become part of the Turkmen drama’s golden fund.
Recollecting Bazar Amanov, it is impossible not to mention his film roles; the image of Kelek-bai in the Japbaks (“The Mischievous Brothers” 1972) film turned out to be incredibly vivid and memorable. A man of the people, orphaned from an early age, Bazar Amanov, who has seen a lot on his life path, has gained invaluable life experience. These impressions and observations of fate and the world around will become subtle “strokes” for the embodiment of colorful roles, both in the theater and on the cinema screen.
As one of the founders of the Turkmen National Drama Theater, Bazar Amanov wrote a biographical drama about Mollanepes. This very performance had been opening the theatrical season for many years, and in 1963 the theater was named after the classic of Turkmen poetry.
The national repertoire was created with painstaking work. Every year the theater troupe was joined by graduates of the prestigious theatrical studios of GITIS, the Mikhail Shchepkin Theater School and the Alexander Ostrovsky Tashkent State Institute of Arts. But the most important laboratory of the Turkmen theatrical art was the studio opened at the theater itself.
Selbi CHARIYEVA
