“I chose a thorny path” – Tinatin Mghvdliashvili’s 70th Anniversary.
Recipient of the Galaktion Tabidze Prize and the Zviad Gamsakhurdia Prize, the “Queen of Contemporary Georgian Poetry,” poet and artist Tinatin Mghvdliashvili turned 70 on April 7 of this year.
Her poems and short stories have frequently appeared in Georgian journals and newspapers, but it was her internationally renowned poem “King David” that brought her the love of the Georgian nation and widespread recognition. This poem was embraced by the Georgian people and became a banner for the national liberation movement.
Many widely known songs have been based on her poetry, including:
“Raise Your Swords, Georgians!”,
“Agmashenebeli Is Coming to Tbilisi”,
“Lonely, Solitary Lady”,
“Merab, Reconcile the Georgians!”,
“Star of Destiny”,
“Homeland Is One and Only”,
“Hymn to the Trinity”,
“May God Let You Grow Old in a Colorful Dress”, and others.
Her poems have been translated into French, English, Chechen, Russian, and German.
Tinatin Mghvdliashvili has published around twenty-five collections of poetry. One of her poem cycles, “The Waterloo of Blue Violets”, was published in Paris, France. Her poem “The Vainakhs” was translated at the London Translation Center, and with this poem, the poet was included in an anthology of contemporary poetry from Asia, Africa, and South America.
This great love and appreciation were further expressed through her jubilee evening titled “I Chose a Thorny Path”, which took place on April 14 at the stage of the Kote Marjanishvili State Academic Professional Theatre. The evening was presented as an artistic performance fully dedicated to Tinatin Mghvdliashvili’s work.
The script was written by historian Giorgi Kalandia, who also hosted the evening. Following the script, he introduced the audience to both familiar and previously unknown aspects of Tinatin Mghvdliashvili’s creative journey over the past 70 years.
Participants in the evening included the St. Queen Tamar Choir of the Patriarchate of Georgia, as well as singers Temur Tatarashvili, Eka Kvaliashvili, Sergi Rostomashvili, Manana Todadze, and Eliso Gvinepadze. Her poetry was read by Mrs. Eldino Sagaradze and Maka Shalikashvili.
The event was fully recorded by the television company “Puls.”
Mrs. Tinatin Mghvdliashvili was awarded the David Agmashenebeli Medal by the Writers’ Union of Georgia.
