Sunday, June 24, 2012

O olmasın, bu olsun - the cast

I've finally seen a live performance of O olmasın, bu olsun. As I'm sure readers know, this is a famous operetta by the great composer Üzeyir Hacıbəyov. The title is usually translated as "İf not this one, then that one". The performance was great - wonderful set, great singing, and very funny acting. So I've set myself the goal of translating the libretto and the songs so that next time I see it I'll understand more than I did this time. So, here's the first bit of information you need - the cast. In Azerbaijani this is called İştirak Edənlər - the participants...



Rüstəm bəy - 45 yaşında, borclu düşmüş bir bəy (bariton) = 45 years old, has fallen into debt
Gülnaz - 15 yaşında, Rüstəm bəyin qızı ki, Sərvərə aşiqdir (soprano) = Rustam's daughter, in love with Server
Sərvər - 25 yaşında bir studentdir ki, Gülnaza aşiqdir (tenor) = student, in love with Gulnaz
Sənəm - 30 yaşında, qulluqçu, dul arvad (metso-soprano) = servant in Rustam's house, a widow

Məşədi İbad - 50 yaşında, dövlətli bir tacirdir ki, Gülnazı almaq istəyir (tenor) = a rich merchant who wants to marry Gulnaz

Rüstəm bəyin aşnaları: = Rustam's friends

Həsənqulu bəy - 40 yaşında, millətpərəast (bariton) = nationalist
Rza bəy - 40 yaşında, qəzetçi (tenor) = newspaper man
Həsən bəy - 40 yaşında, intelligent (tenor) = intellectual

Əsgər bəy - 30 yaşında, qoçu (bas) = hooligan
Hambal = porter
Məşədi Qəzənfər - hamamçı = bath keeper
Usta Həhərrəm - dəllək = barber
Kərbəyalı Nəsir - bazar əhli = market dweller
Hamam xidmətçiləri = bath workers

Qoçular = hooligans (or - hired assassins)
Bazar adamları = market people
və s. = etc.

1 comment:

Billy said...

Thanks for the link. From what I've read, you use music partially to help with pronunciation. I'm going to try the same thing. I did it a little bit with Russian. It helped, and it was enjoyable. Do you have any other resources you use, though, for pronunciation? I've been looking for a a radio station that has transcriptions of shows.