Murtuza Mammadov / Bulbul (1897-1961)
Bulbul was born on June 22, 1897 near Shusha in a place called Khanbaghi.
From 1920 he was a soloist of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (then the opera troupe of the United State Theater).
In the first years of his activity he played in Uzeyir Hajibeyov's "Leyli and Majnun" (Ibn Salam), "Asli and Karam" (Karam), "Ashig Garib" (Garib). In 1927 he graduated from the Baku Conservatory and continued his education in Milan, Italy.
In 1931, after graduating from the Milan Conservatory (class of Giuseppe Anselmi, Delliponti and R. Grani) and returned to Azerbaijan where began teaching at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory. In 1932, on his initiative, the Scientific-Research Music Center to Study Azerbaijani Folk Music was established at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory.
In 1937, the All-Union Vocal Conference was held in Moscow at the initiative of Bulbul. Bulbul also was the initiator of the ashug congresses held in 1938–1961 and the first music olympiad to reveal brilliant talents.
At the VI All-Union Moscow Festival in 1957, he chaired the jury of the Oriental Classical Reading Competition. In July 1961, he gave a concert in Shusha, in the hall of the former Shusha Real School. This concert was Bulbul's last concert in Shusha.
He died on September 26, 1961 in the city of Baku. His grave is in the First Alley of Honor.
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