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Qabil Ashirov

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The Gabala Festival, widely recognised not only as a music event but also as a platform for intercultural dialogue, continued on 7 February with a chamber music evening titled “Baku–Naples: A Musical Bridge” as part of the 2nd Winter Tale International Music Festival.

AzerNEWS reports that the concert took place at the Heydar Aliyev Congress Center in Gabala and brought together representatives of the festival’s organising bodies, local music enthusiasts and visiting guests. The programme symbolised the long-standing cultural friendship between Azerbaijan and Italy.

Before the concert, Zahra Guliyeva, Professor at the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Baku Academy of Music and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, addressed the audience. She noted that the evening’s repertoire focused on the romance genre, featuring works by both Azerbaijani and Italian composers, and outlined the stylistic characteristics of this musical form.

The programme included Vincenzo Bellini’s Melancholia, Said Rustamov’s Intizar and Hardasan, Sevda Ibrahimova’s Wake Up, Bulbul, as well as several works by Tofig Guliyev, including I Am from Baku, Lyric Song, I Became Lucky, and Golden Ring. Also performed were Vasif Adigozalov’s Carnation and Song about Baku, Polad Bulbuloglu’s Happy Azerbaijan, alongside Italian classics such as Rodolfo Falvo’s Dicitencello vuje, Salvatore Cardillo’s Neapolitan song Katari, two romances by Francesco Paolo Tosti, and Cesare Andrea Bixio’s Parlami d’amore Mariù.

The concert featured performances by People’s Artists Farhad Badalbeyli, Murad Adigozelzade, and Honoured Artist Emil Afrasiyab on piano, alongside vocal soloists Afag Abbasova (soprano), Aytaj Shikhalizade (mezzo-soprano), Azer Zade (tenor), Mahir Tagizade (baritone) and Aysun Mahmudzade (soprano). Their performances were warmly received by the audience.

The evening concluded with all soloists performing Tofig Guliyev’s “Friendship Song.”

The Winter Tale International Music Festival will close on 8 February with a gala concert at the Heydar Aliyev Congress Center. Artists and dancers from Spain will headline a flamenco-jazz programme titled “Azerbaijan–Spain: Two Countries, One Music.”