Official opening of the 3rd Gabala International Music Festival and gala concert
Official opening of the 3rd Gabala International Music Festival organized by Heydar Aliyev Foundation and a gala concert took place, July 30.
A welcoming message by Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, the President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP, was read out at the opening ceremony in the park in front of Qafqaz Resorte Hotel.
“The Gabala Music Festival again opens doors to its participants and guests. Our festival is taking place in Gabala, one of the most picturesque places in Azerbaijan. The ruins of fortress walls and temples are evidence that the city was the capital of a legendary state, Caucasian Albania, in ancient times.”, Mrs Aliyeva says in the message.
“And it is Caucasian Albania where the traditions of tolerance and mutual enrichment of cultures – which our country is justly proud of – formed. These traditions developed when the Great Silk Road ran across Azerbaijan. And thanks to them, Azerbaijan today plays the role of a cultural bridge between Europe and the East.”
“Today the Gabala Festival features both European classical music and traditional music of Azerbaijan, its pearl – mugham, which was incorporated into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as early as 2003.”
“In a short period of time for a musical event, the Festival, which has already become traditional, reached its main goal – Gabala became a favorite venue to meet for all music lovers, musicians and audience.”
Mrs Aliyeva says: “I am confident that this year`s festival will be another festive occasion to give us a brilliant sense of unity in the world of music, which knows no bounds and rivalry. I wish all the participants and guests successes. Enjoy your time together in a beautiful atmosphere of our festival!”
Speaking in the opening ceremony, MP Fattah Heydarov said the Festival contributes to promoting Azerbaijan`s music and traditions worldwide. He lauded the Heydar Aliyev Foundation`s efforts towards preserving Azerbaijan`s cultural and spiritual values, and promoting the country`s musical legacy.
He mentioned works by genius Azerbaijani and world composers, also our mughams are played in frame of the Gabala Festival, which brings together young and world-known musicians together.
The MP said to preserve and promote Azerbaijan’s music heritage, Heydar Aliyev Foundation performs huge projects such as International Mugham Festival, Mstislav Rostropovich Music Festival, festivals dedicated to jubilees of Uzeyir Hajybeyli, Dmitri Shostakovich, Bulbul.
Russian Culture Minister Alexander Avdeev`s greetings were also read out.
The gala concert which followed the opening ceremony featured the performance by world-renowned New Russia Symphonic Orchestra headed by Yuri Bashmet. The concert was conducted by Bashmet and Azerbaijani People`s Artist, holder of the Order of Glory, Presidential scholar Rauf Abdullayev. The concert, which included performance by famous vocalist Sergey Leyferkus (baritone), soloist of State Opera of Germany Anna Samuil (soprano), tenor from Italy Massimiliano Pisapia, Russian violinist Alyona Bayeva, saw the performance of compositions by Prokofiev, Mozart, Gounod, Puccini, Bizet, Verdi, Rachmaninoff, Piazzolla, Bruch and Garayev.
Members of Russian Terem Quartet Andrei Konstantinov (low domra), Aleksey Barsev (domra alt), Andrei Smirnov (button accordion), Mikhail Dyudze (balalaika-contrabass) also performed in the concert.
The audience at the concert included state and government officials, MPs and foreign guests, including Romania`s Minister of Culture and National Heritage Hunor Kelemen.
