Mailov brothers

The Mailyan brothers (also spelled Mailoff) (Armenian: Մայիլյան եղբայրներ) were oil magnates, businessmen, and philanthropists of Armenian descent.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Some sources consider them to be the first producers of caviar in Russia.^[6] They were also known for sponsoring numerous cultural projects in Baku, such as the Mailov Theatre (now known as the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater),^[1][2] in addition to many investment projects in Armenia.^[7][8]

Overview

The Mailyan brothers consisted of three brothers: Daniel, Ivan (Hovhannes), and Lazarus (Yeghia). The brothers were industrial capitalists who amassed a major fortune from oil.^[5][9] They were also successful in the caviar trade, founding the first company that produced caviar in Russia.^[6] Due to their success in the caviar industry, they were known as the "Kings of fish roe".^[2]

However, after the Russian Revolution, the Mailyan family sought refuge in France.^[10]

Mailyan theatre

 

Mailov Theatre (now Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater)

According to legend, a famous opera-soprano singer (which according to sources is either Antonina Nezhdanova or a certain Italian opera singer) visited Baku and had many performances in various casinos and residences in the city.^[11][12] However, when asked if she would return to Baku, she refused because she found that there was no decent opera house in the city.^[13] Daniel Mailov, who admired the personality and voice of the opera singer, commissioned an opera house to be built under the condition that she return to the city.^[12][14]

The theatre was commissioned by the Mailyan brothers and was built by ethnic Armenian^[15] architect Nikolai Bayev.^[16] The project was also funded by the Azeri oil baron Zeynalabdin Taghiyev who challenged the Mailyan brothers in completing the project in a year.^[16] If the opera house was completed within a year, he would pay the costs of construction. The opera house was built in 10 months and Taghiev paid as promised.^[16]

When first opened in 1911, the theatre was known as the Mailyan Theatre. It is now known as the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater and continues to serve Baku residents until this day.^[16]

Philanthropy in Armenia

The Mailyan brothers sponsored many projects in the First Republic of Armenia. The most important of which was the financial grant of 2 million rubles in February 1919 to fund the expedition of surveyors for potential industrial output, mineral extracts, soil, and other minerals needed for the reconstruction of the country.^[7][8][9]

See also

• Armenians in Baku

References

1. Азербайджанский театр оперы и балета (in Russian). Кино-театр. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
2. (in Russian). Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
3. Gaziyan, Alvard (2008). ИНТЕРЕСНЫЙ ДОКУМЕНТ ОБ ЭКСПЕДИЦИИ БРАТЬЕВ МАИЛЯНОВ (1919 г.) (PDF). Patma-Banasirakan Handes (in Russian). 2. Armenian National Academy of Sciences: 244–251. ISSN 0135-0536. Retrieved 18 February 2013. Title translated from Russian: "Interesting Document about the Expedition of Mailov Brothers"
4. Промышленность, строительство и архитектура Армении (issue 7–12) (in Russian). Armenian National Academy of Sciences. 1987. Первые свои конструктивные новшества в крупном масштабе он осуществил при строительстве здания театра братьев Маиловых (Маилянов) в Баку (теперь – Государственный театр оперы и балета) в 1910 – 1911 годах.
5. Alieva, Leila, ed. (2009). The Baku oil and local communities: a history (PDF). Baku: Center for National and International Studies. p. 126. ISBN 978-9952-26-036-6. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
6. Huberta von Voss, ed. (2007). Portraits of hope: Armenians in the contemporary world. Translated by Alasdair Lean (1st English ed.). New York: Berghahn Books. p. 222. ISBN 9781845452575. Retrieved 18 February 2013. Mouchegh Petrossian married the great-granddaughter of Lazarus Mailoff, the first producer of caviar in Russia.
7. US Archives, RG 256, 184.021/304/364
8. Republic of Armenia Archives, File 421/1, H.H. Hay Teghekagir Biuro Parisum, 1919 t., no 59; File 66a/3, Bulletin no. 34; File 132/31, H.H. Pativrakutiun, 1920
9. Hovannisian, [by] Richard G. (1971). The republic of Armenia (2. print. ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 145. ISBN 9780520018051. In February teams of civil and mining engineers and technicians from other parts of the Caucasus and from southern Russia were employed to study the soil, survey the mineral deposits, assess the industrial potential, and formulate plans for the reconstruction of Armenia. This important project was financed through a grant of 2 million rubles from the Mailov brothers, oil magnates who had amassed a fortune in Baku before the World War.
10. Saffron, Inga (2002). Caviar: the strange history and uncertain future of the world's most coveted delicacy (1st ed.). New York: Broadway Books. pp. 127–128. ISBN 9780767911191. Retrieved 10 March 2013. The Mailoffs were also refugees from the revolution, but before fleeing to Paris, they had operated an armada of sturgeon boats in Baku.
11. (in Russian) On Baku for Those Who Has Never Been There by Elena Kolmanovskaya. Baku Pages. 31 March 2003
12. Aliyev, Seymur (5 December 2012). "Genesis of Oriental opera". Azernews. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
13. . Hg2 Baku. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
14. (in Russian) The Opera and Ballet Theatre by Manaf Suleymanov. The Past Days. 1990
15. Armenia-Russia: The dialogue in the space of artistic culture, Materials of International symposium, Moscow 2010, p. 16 (by Dr. M. Gasparyan) 26 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
16. Opera in Azerbaijan by Azer Rezayev. Azerbaijan International. #5.4. Winter 1997