Halima Nosirova

A talented opera artist and a major representative of Uzbek singing art, Halima Nosirova was born in Kokand in 1913. She graduated from the Baku Theater Technical School in 1927, the Uzbek Opera Studio at the Moscow Conservatory in 1937, and the Tashkent State Conservatory in 1927.

H. Nosirova began her creative career at the Uzbek State Model Group (the current Hamza Theater), where she performed the roles of Maria Antonovna in N. Gogol's «The Government Inspector» and Princess Turandot in C. Gozzi's «Princess Turandot».

Between 1929 and 1939, she worked at the Uzbek State Musical Theater, where she gained national recognition by performing leading roles in musical dramas such as S. Abdulla's «The Storm», Gulam Zafariy's «Halima», U. Hajibeyov's «Arshin Mal Alan», Khurshid and T. Sadiyov's «Layli and Majnun», Khurshid and V. Uspensky's «Farhod and Shirin», and K. Yashin, M. Mukhamedov, and R. Gliere's «Gulsara».

From 1939, H. Nosirova worked for many years as a leading soloist of the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater, where she created dozens of full-fledged images and gained fame as a mistress of unique art. While the image of Akjunus in E. Brusilovsky's opera «Er Targyn» was H. Nosirova's first opera role, she later played Norgul in the first Uzbek opera «Buran» and Layli in «Layli and Majnun».

During the Second World War and the post-war years, H. Nosirova created the images of Sin Dun Fan in A. Kozlovsky's opera «Ulugh Beg», Carmen in J. Bizet's «Carmen», Zukhra in T. Jalilov and B. Brovtsin's «Tohir and Zukhra», and Gulsara in R. Gliere and T. Sadiyov's «Gulsara».

In the performance of an actress gifted with a pleasant voice by nature and having mastered the art of opera performance, the image of Gulsara takes on a special luster and grace on stage, to the point that it seems to the audience as if the image of Gulsara was written specifically for H. Nosirova.

H. Nosirova created the first comedic image in an Uzbek opera in S. Yudakov's «The Pranks of Maysara», where the lyrical, dramatic, and comedic situations inherent in Maysara's character found their vivid expression in the actress's performance. Also, the images of Zaynab in T. Sadiyov, B. Zeydman, Yu. Rajabiy, and D. Zakirov's «Zaynab and Omon», Saodat in S. Boboev's «Hamza», and Bahor in M. Yusupov's «Khorezm Song» hold an important place in H. Nosirova's work.

By masterfully performing leading roles in the main opera works staged at the A. Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater from 1938 to the 1970s, H. Nosirova made a great contribution to the development of Uzbek opera art, gained fame as an artist of immense talent, and took her place among the leading representatives of Uzbek art.

In this, of course, her mastery of the art of singing was of great importance. The classical, folk, and contemporary songs sung with enthusiasm and in the artist's rich and unique voice, such as «Ushshoq», «Dugoh», «Kel Ertaroq», «Chaman Ichra», «Tanovar», «Uzgancha», «Gul Yuz Uzra», «Figon», «Men Uzbek Qiziman», «Mehnat Ahli», and «Uzbek Qizi Ovozi», recorded on magnetic tapes, have not lost their value and continue to provide aesthetic pleasure and great joy to fans of art. The happiness of a true artist lies in being cherished by the people.

Songs from foreign countries and commonwealth nations also hold an important place in H. Nosirova's repertoire, and she toured China, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Burma, Afghanistan, and other foreign countries, mesmerizing thousands of listeners with her charming songs and widely promoting the national singing art of the Uzbek people.

H. Nosirova closely intertwined her creative work with social work, never tiring of teaching her knowledge and skills to young people, and trained many mature artists. Well-known singers such as N. Akhmedova, Sh. Rahimova, B. Davidova, H. Mavlonova, T. Fozilova, F. Borokhova, E. Jalilova, and K. Ismoilova are H. Nosirova's students.

Halima Nosirova's half-century of multifaceted and meaningful creative work was awarded the titles of «People's Artist of Uzbekistan», «People's Artist of the USSR» (1957), two State Prizes (1949, 1951), and the State Prize of Uzbekistan (1971). On the occasion of the 9th anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Halima Nosirova was awarded the «Buyuk Hizmatlari Uchun» (For Great Services) order by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for her immense contribution to the development of national Uzbek culture.