All our natural riches belong to the people, and no one has the right to misuse them.
Heydar Aliyev
Inauguration of the 8th International Music Festival takes place in Gabala
Inauguration of the 8th International Music Festival, held with the organizational support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, took place in Gabala, July 30.
At a ceremony being held on a grandiose scene built in the open air before the Heydar Aliyev Congress Centre in Gabala city, first a congratulatory letter by President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, who has played an exclusive role in developing and promoting the music culture in Azerbaijan, was read.
The letter states: “Dear Friends!
The Gabala Music Festival again opens its doors to its participants and guests.
Our festival is held in Gabala, one of the most beautiful corners of Azerbaijan. Today, remnants of fortresses and temples reminds us of this city being the capital of a legendary state – the Caucasian Albania – at ancient times. Azerbaijan, where the traditions of tolerance has been preserved since the times of the Caucasian Albania, representatives of different peoples and religions have lived for centuries in an environment of peace, which has always made its contribution to promotion and development of dialogue between cultures and civilizations, has recent years been known as a country where music and art festivals, conferences and exhibitions and sports competitions are held.
With holding a music festival in Gabala in 2009, the foundation of a new tradition was laid in the history of the national music culture. Serving to broadening international cultural relations, delivering our rich music culture to the world society and strengthening mutual understanding and friendship between peoples, this festival is becoming more and more popular as years go by, having turned into a nice tradition.
Gabala is already a beloved place of meeting for well-known musicians, onlookers and art-lovers. The Festival has become a significant event in the cultural life of Azerbaijan and of the whole South Caucasus.
Bringing together many musicians from a number of the world countries, this holiday of friendship and music has been giving its contribution to strengthening the dialogue between cultures, creating favourable conditions for intercourse and cooperation for musicians representing different countries, along with preserving rich traditions of our cultural heritage.
I am confident this festival will become another holiday favouring us with nice feeling of unity in the world of music, which knows no borders, no competition.
I wish successes to the participants and guests of the festival and pleasant intercourse in the charming environment of our festival.”
Then a concert by the Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra, directed by People’s Artist Rauf Abdullayev, took place. At the concert, with over a thousand spectators, works by Uzeir Hajibeyli, Niyazi, Fikret Amirov, Gara Garayev, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi and Gioachino Rossini were performed. Performances of People’s Artist Samir Jafarov, a soloist of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Aytaj Shykhalizadeh, a soloist of the Azerbaijani TV and Radio, were welcomed with applauses.
Then a special guest of the Festival, Polad Bulbuloghlu, a composer and singer, People’s Artist, Honoured Person of Art, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Russia, appeared on the scene. He talked about the significance of the Gabala International Music Festival and thanked Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for the organization of such a music holiday. Performing popular and composer music, Polad Bulbuloghlu was accompanied by the Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra, directed by young conductor Murtuza Bulbul.
First concert took place within the framework of the Gabala 8th International Music Festival. At a chamber music concert held at the Heydar Aliyev Congress Centre, Frédéric Chopin’s “Fantasia”, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Etude”, “Prelude”, Andrey Skryabin’s “Poem”, “Homeland’s Song” by Niyazi, “Land of Fire” by Muslim Magomayev and works by other world-renowned composers were performed.
