Samarkand Regional Theater of Music and Drama named after Hamid Alimjan

The theater was founded in 1914 by Russian, Uzbek and Tajik actors and art lovers. On January 15 of the same year, the first performance in the theater was played. For the production, the work was chosen by Mahmoud Khoja Bukhbudi - “Padarkush”. The directors and directors of this performance and troupe were Mahmoud Khoja Behbudi and Abdulrahim Badri himself. In 1918, the multilingual theater became Uzbek, and in 1920 became the “Muslim Propaganda Group”. In 1930, it was decided to transfer the Uzbek theater to Tashkent , in connection with which amateur theater groups “Muslim Propaganda Group” and “Kuk Kuylak” founded the “Samarkand Regional Uzbek Theater of Music and Drama”. H. Narzikulov, director S. Dzhurabaev, and art director S. Abdulla was appointed the head of the theater. In those years, the theater had about 30 actors and actresses ^[3] .

Since the early 1930s, the theater began to work more actively and attract people. The first performance of that period was Said Abdullah's musical drama - “Bogbon Kesey” ( Russian. Gardener's Daughter ). After the success of this performance, others followed, which later also became popular. Among them: “Halima”, “Urtoklar” ( Russian comrades ), “Ut bilan uinashmangiz” ( Russian. Do not play with fire ). In addition to his works, famous Soviet plays were staged at the theater, such as: “ Spring Love ” by Konstantin Trenev , “Plato Krechet” by Alexander Korneychuk and others ^[4] .

In 1938, to give the theater professionalism, the director of the Khamza theater - Bobo Khojaev was appointed its artistic director. In 1939, the theater conducted a tour in Tashkent, where such performances as Adolat ( Russian Justice ), Gulsara, Nomus ( Russian Honor ) were played. Following the results of these tours, actors A. Dzhuraev, Z. Sadykov, I. Boltaev and I. Shkvalov were awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Uzbek SSR . In 1940, the theater first began working with the orchestra. During World War II, the theater included plays of patriotic content in its repertoire ^[5] .

The rebirth of the theater took place in 1964, when today's theater building was completed and opened. The new building has a large two-story hall, designed for 940 seats. The basis of the troupe of the new theater was graduates of the Tashkent Conservatory, Theater Institute. A. N. Ostrovsky and the choreographic school, as well as the artists of the theater. Mukhtar Ashrafi, invited from Tashkent, became the new artistic director of the theater ^[6] .

In 1991, after Uzbekistan gained independence, the theater was merged with the Samarkand State Opera and Ballet Theater and became known as the Hamid Alimjan Samarkand Regional Theater of Music and Drama. In the theater, in addition to the main drama group, an orchestra, choir and ballet function. The theater’s repertoire includes ballet performances such as Samarkand Legend by Georgy Mushel and Silk Road by Mahmud Vafoev ^[7] . Currently, the theater has 214 staff units, of which 185 are creative and technical workers. Six people have the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Uzbekistan, one - the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Uzbekistan ^{[2] [7]} .

• samteatr.uz - Official site