The opening ceremony of the 13th Gabala International Music Festival will be held on July 27. Organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the festival will last until August 2.
Dedicated to the 100th anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev, this year's Gabala International Music Festival will feature the presence of musical talents from Azerbaijan and world-famous musicians, performers, and conductors from Great Britain, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Turkiye.
Under the artistic direction of Azerbaijani People's Artists Farhad Badalbeyli and Murad Adigozelzadeh, the 13th Gabala International Music Festival will open with the concert "Viva Opera".
The opening concert will be performed by soloists, including People's Artists Dinara Aliyeva (soprano), Avaz Abdullayev (baritone), Samir Jafarov (tenor), Yusif Eyvazov (tenor), and Honored Artist Sabina Asadova (mezzo-soprano). They will be accompanied by the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra, named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli, and Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev.
The festival, which has become a traditional event since 2009, will present interesting programs for music lovers. Throughout the week, visitors can enjoy classical, chamber music, and Mugham evenings. Among the performers are the Baku Chamber Orchestra, "Clarte" clarinet quartet, "Gaitagi" instrumental ensemble, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, people's artists Anvar Sadigov, Farhad Badalbeyli, Gulnaz Ismayilova, Murad Adigozelzadeh, Ulviyya Hajibeyova, Yegane Akhundova, and honored artists Emil Afrasiyab, Fuad Ibrahimov, Farida Mammadova, as well as laureates of national and international competitions like Atash Garayev, Elmina Hasanova, Ali Mammadov, Humay Hajizadeh, Mahir Taghizadeh, Mustafa Mehmandarov, Nargiz Kangarli, Osman Mustafazadeh, Rustam Zeynalov, Saida Taghizadeh, Umida Abasova, Vurghun Vakilov, talented young soloists and mugham performers, as well as Dmitry Sitkovetsky (Great Britain, conductor), Mikhail Lidsky (Russia, piano), Henry David Varema (Estonia, cello), Mariusz Patyra (Poland, violin) and others.
Special musical programs will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the birth of the famous Azerbaijani composer Arif Malikov, the 95th anniversary of the birth of the famous pianist Bella Davidovich, and the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Within the framework of the project "Support of Youth" initiated by the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic named after M. Magomayev, a concert showcasing the talent of young singers and master classes conducted by Mikhail Lidsky (piano) and Henry David Vareman (cello) will be held during the festival.