Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

A gala concert dedicated to the Europe Day took place at the Opera Studio of the Baku Music Academy on May 7. The event gathered representatives of the EU states’ embassies in Azerbaijan, as well as of the embassies of Switzerland, Norway, Brazil, Costa Rica, Israel, Peru, Moldova, Mexico, the U.S. and Argentina.

The concert was opened with an introductory speech by the head of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan, Ambassador Kestutis Jankauskas, who noted that the event was organized within the IMAGINE Euro Tolerance Festival.

“This year is special for us – it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, the 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, and the 10th anniversary of the EU mission in Azerbaijan. We invite you to enjoy music, which is a bridge between cultures,” Jankauskas said.

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev, in turn, congratulated all Europeans on the holiday and thanked the EU delegation for holding such an concert.

“Similar events have been held in Baku over the past few years. Such initiatives help the peoples of different countries to find a common language and get closer. We are working for political, economic and cultural ties between our peoples and we are very pleased with the intensive negotiations between the countries,” he said.

Then the students of the Arts Gymnasium performed the anthems of Azerbaijan and the EU.

The concert program was developed by Stefano Moscaritolo, Italian composer and Art Director of the United Cultures, and his wife, composer Kamala Alizade. The composers created many works of the event specially for the Europe Day.

Moscaritolo’s composition “European Counterpoint” for electronic music and tar, which reflected the ethnic motives of all the peoples of the EU, caused delight of the public. The performance of the honored artist of Azerbaijan Sahib Pashazade on tar also pleased the representatives of diplomatic missions.

Moreover, the Chamber Orchestra of the Baku Music Academy, under the guidance of the honored artist of Azerbaijan, famous conductor Fuad Ibrahimov, performed a number of works by Azerbaijani and foreign composers, such as Agshin Alizade, Farhad Badalbeyli, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Frideric Handel, Gara Garayev, Antonio Vivaldi, etc.

Another memorable composition of the event was Moscaritolo’s ForZakhintos in the version for tar, countertenor and string orchestra. The vocal of the honored artist of Azerbaijan Ilham Nazarov and the sound of the national instrument surprisingly harmonized in the modern composition. During the concert, Nazarov also sang the famous jazz song “Strangers in the night.”

Kamala Alizade’s work “Sea and Stars” for guitar, piano and string orchestra was dedicated to the EU. Another work by the composer “O Patria Mia” for countertenor and string orchestra closed the event.

At the end of the concert, the audience thanked the musicians and organizers with a standing ovation.

The IMAGINE Euro Tolerance Festival, timed to the 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, will continue in Baku until May 17.

The festival features a dense calendar of events: musical performances, master classes, a theatre exhibition, film screenings, as well as debates and discussions with internationally acclaimed film directors and musicians.

Notably, this is the second IMAGINE Euro Tolerance Festival, while the first one was also held in Baku last October. A number of well-known film directors, musicians and other artists and performers took part in the festival.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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