Tamilla Shiraliyeva

Tamilla Shiraliyeva (Azerbaijani: Tamilla Xudadat qızı Şirəliyeva; 8 December 1946 – 12 March 2025) was an Azerbaijani ballet dancer, ballet master and pedagogue who was named the People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1978. Shiraliyeva was also a recipient of the USSR State Prize in 1980 and a Shohrat Order in 2006.

Tamilla Shiraliyeva
Tamilla Xudadat qızı Şirəliyeva
Born	(1946-12-08)8 December 1946 Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR
Died	12 March 2025(2025-03-12) (aged 78) Baku, Azerbaijan
Burial place	Yasamal cemetery
Occupation(s)	Ballet dancer, ballet master, pedagogue
Awards	People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR • USSR State Prize • Shohrat Order

Background

Shiraliyeva was born on 8 December 1946 in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union (now Azerbaijan).^[1] She graduated from the Baku Choreographic College in 1964. She later attended the Moscow State Academy of Choreography in 1968.^[2]

Tamilla Shiraliyeva had been suffering from diabetes for a long time and had undergone surgery because of kidney problems. She died from a brain hemorrhage in Baku, on 12 March 2025, at the age of 78,^[3] and was buried in the Yasamal cemetery.^[4]

Career

Shiralieyeva began her career as a soloist in 1964 for the ballet troupe of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater,^[2] performing in several pieces including Ashraf Abbasov's Chernushka and Fikret Amirov's One Thousand and One Nights. She retired from ballet dancing in 1989; she became a teacher and choreographer the following year.^[5]

In 2001, Shiralieyeva was the producer-choreographer in the revival of Tofig Bakikhanov's Caspian Ballad at the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, which premiered on 4 November 2001.^[6][7]

She directed, choreographed, or managed several pieces including Tofig Bakikhanov's Good and Evil,^[8] and Joseph Mazilier's Paquita.^[9] On 13 July 2007, Shiralieyeva directed in a special showing of Agshin Alizadeh's Tour of the Caucuses to celebrate his 70th birthday.^[10] She also choreographed a ballet based upon Niyazi's Rast for the Silk Road Music Festival in July 2014.^[11]

Awards

Shiraliyeva was named an Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1970. In 1978, she was titled the People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR.^[1] Shiraliyeva also received the USSR State Prize in 1980 for her role as Scheherazade in One Thousand and One Nights.^[2]

In 2006, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev thanked Shiraliyeva for her contributions to ballet and awarded her a Shohrat Order.^[12] She also received an honorary diploma from the Baku Choreographic Academy for her work at the academy.^[13]