“Love and Death” ballet by Polad Bulbuloglu staged in Belarus
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By Laman Ismayilova
“Love and Death” ballet by Polad Bulbuloglu, an Azerbaijani people’s artist and the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia, was staged at the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus on June 11, Trend Life reported.
The event brought together state and government officials, culture and art figures and foreign guests, including the Russian President's Special Representative for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoi, Minister of Information, Liliya Ananich, People's Artist of the USSR Yuri Solomin, first deputy director general of ITAR-TASS Mikhail Gusman and others.
Azerbaijan was represented by delegation led by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Adalat Valiyev as well as rectors of the Baku Music Academy and the National Conservatory Farhad Badalbeyli and Siyavush Kerimi.
The third edition of “Ballet Summer” has been opened with the premiere of Polad Bülbüloğlu’s "Love and Death" choreographed and staged by Olga Kostel. The old Turkic mythology, which the story is based on, is the fount of human moral values, rules and traditions. The authors presented the existential view of man and nature, man and the elements.
"The date 11 June was not chosen by chance. This day marks 23 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two between two brotherly states-Azerbaijan and Belaris. Taking into account the worldwide fame of ballet's author , people's love throughout the former Soviet Union and fame of "Karabakh Nightingale", tickets were sold out a few weeks before the premiere within hours," said TV host Haji Nuran Huseynov.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko also congratulated Polad Bulbuloglu on the premier of his new ballet Love and Death at the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus.
“This event is especially important because the large-scale production was made by joint efforts of the Belarusian-Azerbaijani creative group,” the message of greetings reads.
Alexander Lukashenko said that the project will help enhance friendship and cultural cooperation between our countries.
The ballet "Love and Death" deals with eternal issues of destiny, life and death, love, friendship and betrayal.
The ballet can be seen as a true saga and musical paraphrase of eternal life book titled "Dede Gorgud". This is a play about undying love and powerlessness of death before feats of heroes.
In 2005 it was staged at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky State Academic Opera and Ballet, as well as in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theatre. In 2010, at the initiative of the Russian choreographer, Nadejda Maligina "Love and Death" ballet was staged at the Ekaterinburg State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. In 2011, the ballet was staged at the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, as well as in the capital of Turkey - Ankara by the Ekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theatre’s ballet troupe.
Musical excerpts from this ballet are annually performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre on Bavaria Festival Opera Festival in Germany.
Every time, this music raises endless applause and shouts of "Bravo!" in German public. German media, broadcasting the festival, repeatedly noted the melody and special beauty of Bulbuloglu’s music.
Bulbuloglu became famous in the whole Soviet Union with composing jazz-influenced pop songs with deep folk feelings in Azerbaijani and Russian. His father was Bulbul, a famous Azerbaijani opera singer who exposed Polad to musical culture from an early age.
He also sang his own songs. Three of his songs became Song of the Year and he received numerous prestigious awards in the Soviet Union. Bulbuloglu is a lyrical tenor.
In the 1990s, despite having a huge success with a new version of his old song Gəl Ey Səhər (Come, Hey Morning!) in Turkey and sold out concerts in Russia, Bulbuloglu started a political career. He became the Azerbaijani Culture Minister and is currently the Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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