Azerbaijan Mambetov was born on September 1, 1932 in the village of Savenko, Volgograd region, Russian Federation.
In 1952, he graduated from the acting faculty of the Almaty Art School.
In 1952-1957, he studied at the directing department of the Moscow Institute of Theatre Arts named after Lunacharsky.
There he studied with famous professors and students of K.S.Stanislavsky, People’s Artist of the USSR N.M.Gorchakov and A.A.Goncharov.
For more than thirty years since 1957, he worked as a stage director and then director and chief stage director at the Academic Drama Theatre named after M. Auezov, Almaty. Over the years, A. Mambetov staged more than 150 theatrical plays, and in 1965 he was awarded the title of laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the play based on the work of Ch.Aitmatov “Ana-Zher-Ana”.
In 1974, he was awarded the State Prize of the USSR for staging a work by A. Nurpeisov “Blood and Sweat” and staged it at the Prague National Theatre, Czechoslovakia.
Under his direction “The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years” by Ch.Aitmatov with the participation of People’s Artist of the USSR M.Ulyanov was staged at the Moscow Academic Theatre n.a. E.Vakhtangov while “Abai” by M.Auezov was staged at the Uzbek Academic Theatre. Moreover, the play “Abai” was staged at the Uyghur and Korean National Theatres.
He made a significant contribution to the development of the theatre, staging the best plays of national and world classics at the highest level:
- Uncle Vanya by A. Chekhov;
- The Servant of Two Masters by Goldoni;
- Dog in the Manger by Lope de Vega;
- Don Juan, or the love of geometry by M. Frisch;
- Coriolanus by W. Shakespeare;
- Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.
А. Чеховтың «Ваня ағай» және де ұлттық классика үлгісіндегі таңдаулы спектакльдерін жоғарғы деңгейде қойып, театрдың дамуына сүбелі үлес қосты.
In 1973, he participated at the International Festival of Asian, African and Latin American Countries in the Shiraz city, Iran with Ana-Zher-Ana by Ch.Aitmatov and also participated in the International Festival “National Theatre” in Nancy, France with Kozy Korpesh-Bayan Sulu by G.Musrepov in 1984.
Stage director A.Mambetov also filmed the works as “On the Wings of a Song”, “Blood and Sweat”, “Enemy”, made the TV movie “Abai” and left an undeniable mark on the cinema world.
A. Mambetov was also a respected professor at the T. Zhurgenov and KazNMA.
Moreover:
– In 1976, A.Mambetov was awarded the title People’s Artist of the USSR;
– In 1999, he was approved as the artistic director of the Kazakh State Academic Musical Drama Theatre n.a. K.Kuanyshbayev at the invitation of the head of state N. Nazarbayev;
– On October 14, 2000, A. Mambetov staged opera “Birzhan and Sarah” by M. Tulebaev, at the opening of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre named after K. Baiseitova;
– In 2000, he was awarded the title “People’s Hero” for outstanding services in art and great creative success, which has become the golden treasure of the theatrical art of Kazakhstan;
– From 1999 to 2008 on the stage of the Kazakh Musical Drama Theatre named after K. Kuanyshbaev staged such plays as:
- “Kyz Zhibek”; “Kozy Korpesh-Bayan Sulu” G. Mussrepov;
- “Karagoz” M.Auezov;
- “Tolki bikesh” F. Erve;
- “Bayansyz bak” V. Delmar;
- “Beu, Kyzdar-ai” by K. Baiseyitov, K. Shakhytbaev;
- “The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years” by Ch. Aitmatov;
- “Ana – Zher-Ana” by Ch. Aitmatov;
- “Makhambet” by I. Dzhansugurov, S. Nazarbekuly, B. Aldibek;
- “Arshin Mal Alan” by U. Hajibeyov;
- “Uncle Vanya” by A. Chekhov;
- “Blood and Sweat” A. Nurpeisov.
People’s artists of Kazakhstan such as Gulzhan Aspetova, Tlektes Meiramov, Honored Workers of Kazakhstan – Leilo Beknazar-Khaninga, Akysh Omar, Honored Artists of Kazakhstan – Zhumagul Meiramova and Nurzada Tashimov, who came together with A. Mambetov to serve in the Kazakh Musical Drama Theatre named after K. Kuanyshbaev, today are reliable seniors and guiding lights of the theatre.
Pictures:
