If Not That One, Then This One

If Not That One, Then This One (Azerbaijani: O olmasın, bu olsun), also known as Meshadi Ibad , is a 1910 operetta in four acts written by Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov. The comedy reflects social and everyday life relations in prerevolutionary Azerbaijan. It is the composer’s second work written in this genre, and is considered a national classic alongside the same composer's Arshin mal alan .

Hajibeyov's second musical comedy was written in 1910, initially it was in three acts, After 1915, when an additional scene was written, it was recast in four acts. Hajibeyov used the Azerbaijani musical style mugam in some of the music and incorporated extracts from Fuzûlî’s ghazals in the libretto. The operetta was reviewed in the Kaspi newspaper of April 7, 1911, which noted that its music included both traditional and newly-written melodies.

The premiere of If not that one was held in Baku, on April 25, 1911 at the Mailov brothers’ theatre (today the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater). The main parts were taken by Mirzaagha Aliyev as Mashadi Ibad, Huseyngulu Sarabski as Sarvar, Ahmed Agdamski as Gulnaz, Rustam bey’s daughter, (as women did not appear on the stage at that time in Baku), and M.H.Teregulov as Hasan bey. The musical was conducted by the composer. The libretto of the comedy was first published in Baku in 1912 by the Orujov brothers’ printing house.

The comedy was staged by Azad Amirov, who also acted the leading part (Mashadi Ibad) in Shusha, in 1912. In his memories Hajibeyov noted Amirov’s beautiful performance of this role.

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