The 3rd International Rostropovich Festival starts in Baku
8 December, the 3rd International Rostropovich Festival was solemnly opened at the Muslum Magomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society.
The Festival was opened by Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev and Art Director of the Festival, President of the Rostropovich Foundation Olga Rostropovich.
Olga Rostropovich said co-organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azerbaijan`s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Mstislav Rostropovich Foundation the Festival aims at organizing concert of world-famous musicians in the home country of M.Rostropovich.
The event will see participation of representatives of Azerbaijani music, New Russia State Symphonic Orchestra and a number of popular musicians that will perform symphonic music concerts, chamber instrumental works and classic operas.
Concerts will take place at the Heydar Aliyev Palace, State Philharmonic Society and Rostropovich House Museum.
Cellists who were students of world-famous musician, People’s Artist of USSR Mstislav Rostropovich will perform in frame of the Festival.
O.Rostropovich said special concert ‘Dedication to Heydar Aliyev’ will be arranged on December 12 in memory of Heydar Aliyev, the national leader of Azerbaijani people, dear friend of her father.
Calling Baku a native town O.Rostropovich thanked the Azeri nation and government for “showing high respect” towards her father and his activity. She invited residents and visitors of Baku to the events to be held within the Festival.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev said: ‘The International Rostropovich Festival organized at the initiative of Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP, has become a real music festival which every December brings together world`s famous musicians in Azerbaijan`s capital’.
The week-long festival will feature performance by cellists David Geringas and Amanda Forsyth, violinist Pinchas Zukerman, pianists Murad Adygozalzade and Philip Kopachevsko, singers Samir Jafarov and Elchin Azizov, and conductors Yuri Bashmet, Christian Badea, Rauf Abdullayev, Pinchas Zukerman, Paul Watkins and Maksim Vengerov. Young Azeri musicians will also perform in the event.
The Festival was opened with ‘Dedication to M.Rostropovich’ by Azerbaijan’s People’s Artist Firengiz Alizade. Then, parts from works by U.Hajibeyli, G.Garayev, F.Emirov, O.Zulfigarov, G.Puccini, S.Rakhmaninov were played by the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra conducted by People’s Artist, Professor Rauf Abdullayev.
Documentary ‘Musical works: Rostropovich’s return to Russia’ was shown in the event.