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AzerNEWS Staff

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The first day of the 15th Gabala International Music Festival, held on the initiative and organised by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli and Gilan, was marked by a special presentation. A ballet gala concert was held under the open sky on the evening of 29 July. This unforgettable evening, featuring famous ballet stars, presented the beauty and elegance of classical ballet to the audience.

The gala concert was watched by officials, cultural figures, art lovers and members of the public, according to AzerNEWS.

Honoured Artist of Azerbaijan and principal soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Timur Askerov, principal soloist of the same theatre Renata Shakirova, soloists of the Bavarian State Ballet Frederik Stukviš and Zhanna Gubanova, premier of the Bolshoi Theatre ballet company Artem Ovcharenko and first soloist Anna Tikhomirova, soloists of the Vienna State Ballet Alessandro Frola and Madison Young, and soloists of Dutch National Ballet Jessica Xuan and Vsevolod Maievskyi performed on stage.

During the approximately one-and-a-half-hour gala concert, works by world-famous composers were staged. The audience watched excerpts from popular ballets, including Ludwig Minkus's Don Quixote, Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, Adolphe Adam's Giselle and other beloved ballets.

On the second day of the festival, the audience will be presented with the programme An Introduction to Vietnam's National Vocal Genres performed by Vietnam's Bronze Drum Ensemble, while that evening, performances by soloists of Uzbekistan's Tashkent Zebolari Folk Dance Ensemble and a performance by the Bek Doyrachilar Ensemble will be presented.

On 31 July, a concert by the Chamber Orchestra of the DOST Inclusive Development and Creativity Centre will be held under the artistic direction of Honoured Artist Emil Afrasiyab and conducted by Mustafa Mehmandarov. People's Artist Teyyub Aslanov (mugham singer), as well as Dayanat Mammadov (tenor), Farid Abdullayev (tar), Gulnaz Talibova (soprano), Khatira Hajiyeva (soprano), Muslim Muslimzade (mugham singer), Ravana Aghamirova (soprano), Samid Khudarly (tenor), Sara Huseynova (soprano), Sabina Asgarova (soprano) and Samad Novruzov (tenor) will perform works by Azerbaijani and world composers at the concert.

That evening, Gabala will also bring together lovers of mugham. Popular mugham singers – Honoured Artists Bayimkhanim Valiyeva and Teyyar Bayramov, as well as Mugham Competition laureates Miralam Miralamov and Kamila Nabiyeva – will perform at the concert.

On the fourth day of the festival, 1 August, Austrian pianist Alexander Maria Wagner and Luong To Nhu, one of the well-known figures in classical music and piano in Vietnam, will perform at the Chamber Music Evening.

Another special feature of that evening will be the concert programme Beloved Music Pieces from World Films. The Scorrendo Orchestra, under the artistic direction and baton of Mustafa Mehmandarov, will perform music from The Last Pass, I Want Seven Sons, The Godfather, Meeting, The Bodyguard, Schindler's List, James Bond and other films.

On 2 August, the stage will be given to students of the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli. The concert presented by the young musicians will feature works by Azerbaijani and European composers.

On the same day, the Moldovan Fluieraș Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, whose chief choreographer is Yuri Bivol, and Moldova's Millenium ethno-pop group will also perform before the audience.

The International Music Festival will conclude on 3 August with a concert by the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli, led by Honoured Artist Fuad Ibrahimov. People's Artists Azer Zeynalov (tenor) and Samir Jafarov (tenor), Honoured Artist Elnara Mammadova (soprano), as well as Lala Murshudlu (soprano), will perform at the concert.

Held since 2009, the Gabala International Music Festival has for years brought together various figures from the world of music in one place, becoming an important destination for international cultural dialogue. This music platform is not only a celebration of classical works, but also an intercultural bridge that brings peoples together, transcends borders and is remembered for unforgettable moments filled with music.

Alongside the summer season, the festival has also been organised for the past two years in the winter season under the name Winter Fairy Tale.