. Judeo-Tat theatre. Derbent, USSR. 1984. First row - from left to right: Katya, Bikel Matatova. Second row - from left to right: musician Israel Izrailov,
Roman Izyaev, Avshalum Nakhshunov, Raziil Ilyaguev,
Abram Avdalimov. Third row - from left to right: Ilizir Abramov, Anatoly Yusupov,
Israel Tsvaygenbaum. Bikel Matatova was born on August 20, 1928, in
Derbent Her first role in the theater was as a ball in the play
Shah Abbas. She performed alongside her mother, as well as many actors and actresses of the State Mountain Jewish Theater. As her career progressed, Bikel Matatova took on numerous roles and traveled with the theater to various places where Mountain Jews lived, bringing her performances to audiences far and wide. During the
World War II, the Judeo-Tat Theatre, like the entire Soviet Union, faced difficult times. Bikel Matatova wrote in her memoirs: Soon, the situation changed when the
Lenin collective farm began supporting actors by organizing performances for collective farmers. Bikel Matatova, along with her mother and fellow actors, gave concerts for the community. She and her mother were later invited to work in
Khuchni, the administrative center of
Tabasaransky District. During the day, they worked in the library, and in the evenings, they rehearsed. Eventually, Bikel was appointed as the artistic director of the House of Culture, allowing her to continue her passion for theater. After returning to Derbent, Bikel Matatova performed in many plays, including
Mashadi Ibad, where she played the role of Gulnaz, and
Ashiq Qarib, where she portrayed Shahsenem. In the play
The Five-Ruble Bride, with a libretto by
Mammed Said Ordubadi and music composed by
Said Rustamov, she was entrusted with the role of Naz-Naz. Matatova continued to take on musical roles until 1960. In 1961, the director staged
Sergey Izgiyayev's play
Cousin, which depicted the life of Mountain Jews. Bikel Matatova played the role of the milkmaid Gyuli, while her mother portrayed the elderly woman Memeli. That same year, the opera-play Leili and Majnun was staged, translated into Tat by Izgiyaev. Matatova played the lead role of Leili, while her mother took on the role of Majnun's mother. In 1963, she starred as the title character in
Aykhanum at the age of 35. In 1964, the State Judeo-Tat Theatre was closed due to a lack of funding, leading to the revival of an amateur theater group.
Abram Avdalimov became its leader, and during this period,
collective farms were restructured into
state farms. In 1967, the theater was reestablished as the People's Theater, with
Musaib Dzhum-Dzhum as the director and Avdalimov as his assistant. The actors rehearsed during the day and performed in the evenings. Bikel Matatova continued to act in all productions, often playing leading roles. In 1975, actress Istire-Melke, the mother of Bikel Matatova, died. The People's Judeo-Tat Theatre remained active from 1967 to 1992, with Matatova performing alongside both veteran and new actors. In the 1991, Bikel Matatova emigrated to
Israel. In 2001, in the city of
Hadera, under the direction of
Roman Izyaev, the Judeo-Tat Theatre of Musical Comedy,
Rambam, was established. This marked a new stage in Bikel Matatova's career. She was delighted to return to the stage she cherished, where she once again sang, danced, and performed. Bikel Matatova died in 2013 in Hadera, Israel. == Legacy ==