Muzaffar Muhamedov

Muzaffar Muhamedov was born in 1902 in Tashkent (sources do not give the exact day). He began his stage career in 1918 as an actor in the troupe led by Hamza and from 1919 to 1924 played in the Uzbek State Model Drama Troupe. In 1924 he was sent, together with other members of the troupe, to study at the Uzbek Drama Studio in Moscow, which he finished in 1927.

As an actor he created the roles of Mahmudkhan in “Poisoned Life”, Muslim in “Halima”, Olmas Batyr in “Yorqinoy” and Mirzaboshi in “The Lion”. Directing later became his main work: in 1928–1930 he was chief director of the Andijan theatre, in 1930–1939 he worked at the Uzbek State Musical Theatre, in 1939–1943 and from 1950 he was a director at the Navoi Theatre, and in 1943–1950 chief director of the Muqimiy Theatre of Musical Drama and Comedy.

In his first years as a director he followed the path of Vsevolod Meyerhold, and later developed a manner of his own. Formed as a director of musical theatre, he founded his own school in that field. Among his productions are the musical dramas and operas “Halima”, “Gulsara”, “Layla and Majnun”, “Father Davron”, “Tahir and Zuhra”, “Alpamysh”, “Buds” and “Oftobkhon”, as well as Fitrat’s “The Lion” and Gozzi’s “Princess Turandot”.

Muhamedov also worked as a playwright and librettist: with Komil Yashin he wrote the play “Inside” in 1932, he wrote the libretti of the operas “Gulsara” and “Dilorom”, and with Said Abdulla the opera “Maysara’s Affair” (1958).

In 1937 he was named Honoured Art Worker of the Uzbek SSR and in 1959 People’s Artist of the Uzbek SSR; he was awarded the Order of the October Revolution and, twice, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour. Muzaffar Muhamedov died on 18 November 1995.