Ismail Gusein Ogly Idaiatzade

Born Aug. 19, 1901, in Baku; died there Nov. 11, 1951. Soviet Azerbaijan actor and director. People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1938).

Idaiatzade began acting in 1917 and became a director in 1934. He performed in the Azerbaijan State Theater (now the M. Azizbekov Theater in Baku). His roles included Abdul Ali-bek, Sharif, and Salamov (in SeviT, Almas, and In 1905 by Dzha-barly); the title role in Akhundov’s Gadzhi Kara; Shmaga in Guilty Without Guilt by Ostrovskii; and Shvandia in Trenev’s Liubov’ larovaia. Idaiatzade directed Siiavush by Dzhavid (1934),Shakh-name by Dzhanan (1936), In 1905 (1937) and Bride of Fire (1939) by Dzhabarly, and Gachakh Nabi by Rus-tam (1940). In 1938 he became chief director of the M. F. Ak-hundov Azerbaijan Theater of Opera and Ballet. Among the plays he directed were Ker-ogly (1937) and Arshin mal alan (1938) by Gadzhibekov, Maidens Tower (1940) and Nizami (1948) by Badalbeili, Anush by Tigranian (1941), Khosrov and Shirin by Niiazi (1942), Veten (“Homeland”) by Karaev (1945), and Carmen by Bizet (1946). Idaiatzade’s inimitable stage images and his monumental, brilliantly theatrical productions were significant in the development of national acting and directing. He was a deputy to the First Convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. Idaiatzade received two orders.