Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The music of Dmitri Shostakovich, virtuoso performances by internationally renowned artists, a dialogue between Eastern and Western musical traditions, and an atmosphere celebrating the arts marked the opening of the second Baku International Arts Festival (BIAF) at the Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall.

Held from October 28 to November 8 with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture, the festival has brought together musicians, theatre professionals, dancers and creative ensembles from Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Monaco, Russia, the United States, France and other countries. The programme features more than 20 events, including concerts, ballet and theatre performances, film screenings, meetings with artists and masterclasses.

The opening of BIAF marked more than the beginning of the festival programm. It offered a musical journey in which the classical heritage of world composers intertwined with national traditions and cultural ties connecting different countries.

This year, the works of Dmitri Shostakovich occupy a special place in the programme. The musical component of the festival is dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of the great composer, whose life and artistic career were closely connected with Azerbaijan. Shostakovich visited Baku several times, performed there, interacted with Azerbaijani musicians and had a significant influence on the development of the country’s school of composition.

One of the festival’s principal guests is internationally renowned violinist, conductor and composer Dmitry Sitkovetsky, who was born in Baku and holds a special place in contemporary classical music.

“I hope this is a landmark day for my dear Baku audience. Today marks the opening of the second Baku International Arts Festival. I am delighted that so little time has passed since the first wonderful festival and that we are already meeting again. This year’s programme offers a wide variety of genres and features outstanding performers. At the same time, it is entirely fitting that Shostakovich occupies the central place in the opening concert.

“I grew up in the era of Dmitri Shostakovich. When people ask me what period I grew up in, I say the era of Shostakovich. It is much the same as saying that people in Vienna in the early 19th century lived in the era of Beethoven. There is practically no difference,” Sitkovetsky said, highlighting the composer’s special connection with Baku.

The musician also discussed the history of Shostakovich’s relationship with Azerbaijani pianist and composer Elmira Nazirova. She studied composition under him and became one of the prominent figures connecting the musical cultures of Moscow and Baku. According to Sitkovetsky, the memory of their artistic and personal closeness has endured in the composer’s musical legacy.

The conductor also highlighted the distinctive concept behind the opening programme, in which works have been paired to reveal connections between composers, historical periods and musical cultures.

“This is more than just a concert; it is a celebration of music,” Sitkovetsky emphasized.

The festival’s international line-up has been one of its main attractions. Among the invited musicians is Marius Díaz, a celebrated Spanish cellist and cello-section soloist with the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra, known for his performances and chamber music work. His current visit to Azerbaijan is his first.

“I am delighted with Baku! It is a wonderful city. I really enjoyed the Old City, Icherisheher, the local cuisine, and the people here are incredibly welcoming. We are truly enjoying every day of our stay,” the cellist said.

Díaz added that the festival guests had already sampled a variety of Azerbaijani dishes, including meat, vegetables and rice, as well as freshly squeezed juices, particularly pomegranate juice.

The musician also drew attention to the festival programme’s distinctive blend of cultural traditions.

“This is very interesting music because it brings together Western and Eastern musical cultures. A wonderful example is the concerto for piano and orchestra written by Elmira Nazirova and Fikret Amirov. It remarkably combines Eastern folk music with the Western classical tradition represented by composers such as Shostakovich,” he said.

The significance of BIAF for Azerbaijan’s cultural life was also discussed by Fuad Ibrahimov, Honoured Artist of Azerbaijan, artistic director and chief conductor of the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra, chief conductor of the Baku Chamber Orchestra and Neue Philharmonie München, and a laureate of international competitions. He has served as a festival ambassador since 2025.

According to Ibrahimov, this year’s BIAF programme is particularly rich and diverse. Alongside concerts, audiences can attend masterclasses and theatrical events, while leading musicians and ensembles from different countries will perform on festival stages.

Ibrahimov placed particular emphasis on the participation of Azerbaijani performers and the creation of a festival orchestra comprising musicians from several countries.

“Festivals are enormously important to the cultural life of any country because they bring people and musicians together, creating a space for communication, creative exchange and new collaborative projects,” the conductor said.

He also expressed satisfaction that interest in BIAF had continued to grow following the success of its inaugural edition.

The opening concert brought together works by composers representing different historical periods and national musical traditions. Dmitry Sitkovetsky conducted the performance, with soloists including pianist Lukas Geniušas, Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth, Spanish cellist Marius Díaz, and violinists Janez Podlesek, Liana Gourdjia and Boris Baraz. The BIAF Festival Orchestra and the Gara Garayev Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra also took part.

The first half of the concert featured two pieces by Dmitri Shostakovich for string octet, arranged for string orchestra; Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in D minor for two violins and cello; Elmira Nazirova’s Andante cantabile; and Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 1 for piano, trumpet and string orchestra.

The second half continued the musical dialogue with works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Fikret Amirov. The programme also featured five pieces by Shostakovich for two violins and string orchestra, arranged by Yakov Yakulov. Their world premiere was one of the evening’s special highlights.

The concert concluded with Pablo de Sarasate’s Navarra, a fantasy for six violins and string orchestra arranged by Sitkovetsky.

The opening performance thus served as both a tribute to Shostakovich and a reminder of Azerbaijan’s rich history of musical connections with the international classical tradition.

BIAF aims to showcase outstanding international artists while creating new opportunities for Azerbaijani performers and strengthening cultural ties across borders. Baku, historically situated at the crossroads of East and West, is once again serving as a meeting point for different traditions, artistic languages and generations.

This, ultimately, is the central idea behind the Baku International Arts Festival: to make art a universal language of communication that transcends the need for translation.