The Department of Acting is one of the oldest and most distinguished academic divisions of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. Its history is closely connected with the establishment of the Azerbaijan State Theatre Technical School in 1923 and the founding of the Theatre Institute in 1945.
Operating since 1945, the Department has played a major role in the development of professional acting education in Azerbaijan and in the formation of several generations of actors, directors, and theatre artists. Throughout its history, the Department has continuously combined academic training with active engagement in the country’s theatrical and cultural life.
The first head of the Department was the prominent actor and director, People’s Artist of the USSR Rza Tahmasib, who made an exceptional contribution to the development of acting pedagogy in Azerbaijan. Over the years, the Department brought together many leading figures of Azerbaijani theatre and cinema, including Aleksandr Tuganov, Adil Isgandarov, Mehdi Mammadov, Tofiq Kazimov, Maharram Hashimov, Rza Sarabski, Agali Dadashov, Karim Hasanov, and Zafar Nematov.
In later decades, the Department’s academic and creative activities were further enriched by renowned artists and educators such as Malik Dadashov, Shafiqa Mammadova, Jannat Salimova, Eldar Guliyev, Nasir Sadigzade, Rafiq Atakishiyev, Vagif Asadov, Vagif Ibrahimov, Yashar Nuri, Azarpasha Neymatov, Firangiz Mutallimova, Zenfira Narimanova, Elmira Shabanova, Fuad Poladov, Rafiq Azimov, and Kamal Khudaverdiyev.
Among the distinguished professors who contributed to the Department’s development were Boyukaga Kazimov, Fikrat Sultanov, and Agakishi Kazimov. Special recognition also belongs to People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, USSR State Prize laureate, and Professor Shafiqa Mammadova, who served the Department for many years as senior lecturer, associate professor, and later as Head of the Department.
Prominent directors and professors Mehdi Mammadov, Tofiq Kazimov, and Jannat Salimova are regarded among the most influential theatre educators in Azerbaijan, having made a lasting contribution to the national performing arts school.
1945-ci ildə İnstitutda pedoqoji fəaliyyətə başlayan Rza Təhmasib uzun illər “Aktyor sənəti” kafedrasına rəhbərlik edərək Azərbaycanda bütöv bir aktyor nəslinin yetişməsində əvəzsiz rol oynamışdır.
Görkəmli rejissor, aktyor və təcrübəli pedoqoq Mehdi Məmmədov 1940-cı ildə A.V.Lunaçarski adına Moskva Dövlət Teatr Sənəti İnstitutunu bitirdikdən sonra ömrünün axırına kimi Azərbaycan teatrının inkişafı naminə gərgin və səmərəli fəaliyyət göstərmişdir.
İstedadlı rejissorlar, xalq artistləri, professorlar Tofiq Kazımov və Cənnət Səlimova da kafedraya yüksək xidmət göstəriblər. Onlar teatr aləminin əvəssiz sənətkarlar cərgəsindədirlər.
Kafedrada çalışmış müəllimlərdən biri də Azərbaycanın xalq artisti, SSRİ Dövlət mükafatı laureatı, professor Şəfiqə Məmmədova olub. O, “Aktyor sənəti” kafedrasında baş müəllim, dosent, daha sonralar kafedra müdiri – professor kimi fəaliyyət göstərmişdir.
2013-cü ildәn kafedraya Əmәkdar artist, professor Gülşad Baxşıyeva rәhbәrlik edir.
Academic Staff:
- Gulshad Bakhshiyeva — Honored Artist, Professor
- Jannat Salimova — People’s Artist, Professor
- Basti Jafarova — People’s Artist, Professor
- Mammadsafа Gasimov — People’s Artist, Professor
- Vidadi Hasanov — People’s Artist, Associate Professor
- Farhad Israfilov — Honored Artist, Associate Professor
- Sonakhanim Mikayilova — Honored Artist, Associate Professor
- Yagut Pashayeva — Honored Artist, Associate Professor
- Nofal Valiyev — Honored Artist, Senior Lecturer
- Fikrat Malikova — Associate Professor
- Ruslan Ismayilov — Senior Lecturer
- Leyli Valiyeva — Honored Artist, Lecturer
- Irada Gozalova — Lecturer
- Novruz Shahverdiyev — Lecturer
- Irada Yashar Gasimova — Laboratory Assistant
- Gunel Rovshan Safarova — Laboratory Assistant
Courses Offered:
Bachelor’s Degree:
- Acting 1–7
- Acting (Practical Training) 1–7
- Acting 1–2 (for Film and Television Directing students)
- Industrial Practice
- Pre-graduation Internship
Master’s Degree:
- Acting (1.5 years)
- Work on a Role (1.5 years)
- Contemporary Issues in Acting (2 years)
- History and Methodology of Acting (2 years)
- Actor’s Technique and the Phenomenon of Transformation in Theatre (2 years)
- Methodology of Self-Development for Actors (2 years)
- Teaching Methodology of the Specialty (2 years)
- Methodology of Role Preparation (2 years)
- Methods of Training a Universal Actor (2 years)
- Pedagogical Practice (1.5 years)
- Pre-graduation Internship (1.5 years)
- Research Practice (2 years)
- Scientific-Pedagogical Practice (2 years)