BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 30. The first day of the
15th Gabala International Music Festival, initiated and organized
by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and supported by the Ministry of
Culture, the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Baku Academy of Music, and the Gilan
company, was marked by a special presentation. A grand ballet gala
concert held outdoors on the evening of July 29.
The gala concert was attended by government officials, cultural
figures, art enthusiasts, and members of the public.
The performers included Honored Artist of Azerbaijan and leading
soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Timur Askerov, leading Mariinsky
Theatre soloist Renata Shakirova, Bavarian State Ballet soloists
Frederik Stuckwisch and Zhanna Gubanova, principal dancer of
Russia's Bolshoi Theatre ballet company Artem Ovcharenko and first
soloist Anna Tikhomirova, Vienna State Ballet soloists Alessandro
Frola and Madison Young, as well as Dutch National Ballet soloists
Jessica Xuan and Vsevolod Maievskyi.
During the approximately one-and-a-half-hour gala concert,
audiences enjoyed performances of works by world-renowned
composers. The program featured excerpts from beloved ballets,
including Ludwig Minkus' Don Quixote, Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and
Juliet, Adolphe Adam's Giselle, and other celebrated works.
On the second day of the festival, audiences will be presented
with the program "Introduction to Vietnam's National Vocal Genres"
performed by Vietnam's Bronze Drum Ensemble. Later that evening,
soloists of Uzbekistan's Tashkent Zebolari Folk Dance Ensemble and
the Bek Doira Ensemble will take the stage.
On July 31, the DOST Inclusive Development and Creativity Center
Chamber Orchestra will perform under the artistic direction of
Honored Artist Emil Afrasiyab and conductor Mustafa Mehdmandarov.
The concert will feature works by Azerbaijani and international
composers performed by People's Artist Teyyub Aslanov (mugham
singer), as well as Dayanat Mammadov (tenor), Farid Abdullayev
(tar), Gulnaz Talibova (soprano), Khatira Hajiyeva (soprano),
Muslim Muslimzade (mugham singer), Ravana Agamirova (soprano),
Samid Khudarli (tenor), Sara Huseynova (soprano), Sabina Asgarova
(soprano), and Samad Novruzov (tenor).
On the evening of the same day, Gabala will host a mugham
concert featuring Honored Artists Beyimkhanim Valiyeva and Tayyar
Bayramov, along with mugham competition laureates Miralam Miralamov
and Kamila Nabiyeva.
On the festival's fourth day, August 1, Austrian pianist
Alexander Maria Wagner and renowned Vietnamese classical pianist
Luong To Nhu will perform as part of the "Chamber Music Evening"
program.
Another highlight of the evening will be the concert "Beloved
Music from World Cinema." The Scorrendo Orchestra, under the
artistic direction and baton of chief conductor Mustafa
Mehdmandarov, will perform music from films including "The Last
Pass," "I Want Seven Sons," "The Godfather," "The Meeting," "The
Bodyguard," "Schindler's List," "James Bond," and others.
On August 2, the stage will be given to students of the Uzeyir
Hajibeyli Baku Academy of Music, who will perform works by
Azerbaijani and European composers.
The same day will also feature performances by Moldova's
Fluieraș Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, led by chief ballet master
Yuri Bivol, and the Moldovan ethno-pop group Millenium.
The Gabala International Music Festival will conclude on August
3 with a concert by the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Azerbaijan State Symphony
Orchestra under the baton of Honored Artist Fuad Ibrahimov. The
concert will feature People's Artists Azer Zeynalov (tenor) and
Samir Jafarov (tenor), Honored Artist Elnara Mammadova (soprano),
and Lala Murshudlu (soprano).
Held annually since 2009, the Gabala International Music
Festival has brought together outstanding representatives of the
global music community, becoming an important platform for
international cultural dialogue. More than a celebration of
classical music, the festival has evolved into a cultural bridge
that unites nations, transcends borders, and creates unforgettable
moments through the universal language of music.
In addition to its summer edition, the festival has also been
held during the winter season for the past two years under the
title "Winter Fairy Tale."
