On 23 February 1911 Shamsi Badalbeyli was born in the city of Shusha, the ancient cultural centre of Azerbaijan, into the family of the renowned educator and public figure Badal bey Badalbeyli (1875-1932) and Rahima khanum Gajar (1880-1966). He received his primary education at a secondary school in Baku. After finishing school, Sh. Badalbeyli entered the Azerbaijan Pedagogical Technical School. During these years he took part enthusiastically in an amateur theatre group, testing his talent for acting. In 1927 he graduated from the Azerbaijan Pedagogical Technical School. From 1927 to 1932 he studied at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire: for two years in the folk instruments department, then in the composition theory class as a student of Uzeyir Hajibayov. During these years he played the tar in the orchestra of the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre, led by his elder brother, the composer and conductor Afrasiyab Badalbeyli. He sometimes accompanied actors from behind the scenes on the tar in the productions of J. Jabbarli''s "The Fire Bride" and "Sevil". At the same time, he became friends with playwright and director Jafar Jabbarli, assisting him with his stage work. This also increased his interest in the art of directing, and he began working as assistant director on productions of J. Jabbarli''s plays. From 1930 to 1932 he headed the "Art and Literature" department at the editorial office of the newspaper "Genj Ishchi" ("Young Worker"), where a number of his articles on various productions were published. From 1932 (from May) to 1942 he worked as assistant director and director at the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre. In 1933 Sh. Badalbeyli was sent to Moscow by the Azerbaijan People''s Commissariat of Education for a directing internship. In Moscow, at the Maly Theatre, he interned as assistant director under the renowned director K. Marjanishvili during the preparation of Schiller''s "Don Carlos". He also broadened his experience in the creative workshop of director A. Popov at the Revolution Theatre, taking part in the preparation of playwright N. Pogodin''s "My Friend". After returning to Baku in 1936 he continued his work as a director at the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre, staging a number of productions. Sh. Badalbeyli took part as assistant director in the preparation of J. Jabbarli''s "In 1905" and "The Fire Bride". His creative work on the staging of M. F. Akhundov''s comedy "Monsieur Jordan and Dervish Mastali Shah" (together with director M. Zeynalov) was particularly noted as a modern interpretation of the classic comedy. From 1939 he began working independently as a professional director and continued his creative work until the end of his life. Throughout his career Sh. Badalbeyli held leading positions at various theatres and was awarded a number of prizes and honorary titles for his services to art. Shamsi Badalbeyli died on 23 May 1987 and was buried at the Alley of Honour in Baku.
