Built 1909 by N. G. Bayev. According to an anecdote, the building was funded by the oil baron Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev who had lost a bet that another oil baron named Mailov could build an opera house in less than a year (which Mailov had promised to make a visiting Italian opera diva return who had refused to sing in Baki because there was no proper opera house). 1983-1985 restorations. 1985 severely damaged by a fire. Subsequently restored. Re-opened 3 Jan 1988.

Notable world premieres:

• Uzeyir Hajibeyov: Koroghlu (1937)