DO NOT DROP THE FIRE, PROMETHEUS!

DO NOT DROP THE FIRE, PROMETHEUS! (Tashlama utta, Prometheus!), a tragedy. Written in 1975 by M.Karim. The play consists of six acts. The author bases his play on the famous mythological plot of Greek antiquity. Zeus wants to give his daughter Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, as a wife to Prometheus. However, Prometheus is in love with an earthly girl named Agazia, for whose sake he dares to steal the Olympic flame the heavenly fire. But Agazia is afraid of eternity, and the great love which Prometheus has for people prompts him to desire immortality for all. The fire which Prometheus brought from heaven scares and frightens people on Earth and, they, because of their ignorance, refuse to accept it. Then, Prometheus mixes the fire of his heart with the heavenly fire and defeats the opposition of the earthlings. This heavenly fire symbolizes the inspiration and understanding of human beings of their true essence, as well as the awareness of their divine magnificence and self‑sufficiency. Through the quest of the ancient hero, the author expresses the main idea of the work: the idea of internal freedom of the individual which must manifest it self which is applicable to people of all times.

The premiere of the performance took place on March 17, 1977 at the Bashkir Drama Theatre (directed by. R.V.Israfilov, art adaptation by T.G.Yenikeev, musical composition by R.M.Khasanov). A ballet‑opera Prometheus was performed at the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theatre in 1999. In 1980, composer R.M.Khasanov wrote a symphony‑poem Prometheus based on his interpretation of the same tragedy.

Literary translation into Russian was done by A.P.Mezhirov.