SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, May 14. The opening of the
grand 9th Kharibulbul International Music Festival, organized by
the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, took
place on the ancient land of Karabakh – in the city of Shusha, on
the famous Jydyr Duzu plain, Trend's special correspondent reports.


Traditionally, the festival is attended not only by art figures
from Azerbaijan but also by musical groups and soloists from
various countries; this year, representatives are from the U.S.,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Japan, Germany, and
other nations.


The festival opened with the dance composition "My Azerbaijan"
and the work “Jannatim Karabakh (My heaven Garabagh)” by the
outstanding composer Jahangir Jahangirov. Guests were presented
with a bright and colorful program of national and world
masterpieces, the pearls of art.


Renowned artists and young talents performed to the applause of
the audience in a large gala concert. Among them were People's
Artists of Azerbaijan Polad Bulbuloghlu, Tunzala Aghayeva, and
Yusif Eyvazov, as well as Honored Artists Azer Zada, Elnara
Mammadova, Elvin Goja Ganiyev, and Tayyar Bayramov. The concert
also featured ashugs and Honored Cultural Workers Samira Aliyeva
and Ali Tapdygoghlu, laureates of international competitions Jamal
Aliyev, Mushfig Guliyev, Riad Mammadov, and Ismayil Zeynalov,
performer Gabil Mammadov and his students, Mariinsky Theatre
soloist Hamid Abdulov, Japanese musician Kiyoshi Ohira, German
"Deutsche Oper am Rhein" soloist Mara Huseynova, Turkish performer
Ugur Isilak, as well as creative groups – the Azerbaijan State
Dance Ensemble, the Fikret Amirov State Song and Dance Ensemble,
the Uzeyir Hajibeyli State Symphony Orchestra, the Azerbaijan State
Choral Chapel, students of the Baku Choreography Academy, the
Kazakh ethno-folk ensemble "Turan," the Uzbek dance ensemble
"Shodlik," and the Turkmen ensemble "Galkynysh." The festive
concert concluded with the performance of the "Karabakh Yalli."


Over the course of two days, concerts and cultural events will
be held at various venues across the city of Shusha. The festival
is aimed at developing intercultural dialogue and strengthening
musical ties and creative exchange between artists from different
countries.







The Kharibulbul Festival holds special significance for cultural
life and is viewed not only as an international musical event but
also as a symbol of the revival of Shusha and the preservation of
Azerbaijan's rich musical heritage.


The festival is traditionally held in Shusha – the cultural
capital of Azerbaijan – and its name is associated with the
Kharibulbul flower, which is considered a symbol of Karabakh and
the city of Shusha itself. The history of the festival began in
1989, and it achieved international status as early as 1990. During
the Karabakh conflict, festival concerts were held in Aghdam,
Barda, and Aghjabadi. After the historical victory in the Patriotic
War and the liberation of our lands from occupation, the festival
was revived and is once again held in Shusha. Some festival
concerts have also taken place in the city of Lachin.


Will be updated