NEWS

Azerbaijan`s Eurovision 2020 participant Samira Efendi will join "Eurovision: Europe Shine and Light", live television programme on May 16. 

The project is co-organized by European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and produced by the Dutch broadcasters AVROTROS, NOS and NPO. The show will replace the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, cancelled  amid coronavirus pandemic.

The concert will be aired  on İTV and the contest`s YouTube channel at 23:00 ( Baku local time).

Azerbaijan officially confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2020 on September 16, 2019.

Samira Efendi had to represent Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Cleopatra", written by Luuk van Beers, Alan Roy Scott and Sarah Lake. 

The singer was selected based on the votes of an international group of musical experts.

The 28-year-old Samira has taken part in the popular musical projects, such as "The New Star", "The Big Stage" and "The Voice of Azerbaijan".  In 2017, she performed at the Silk Way Star, an international singing competition aired in Kazakhstan (3rd place). Last year, the singer successfully represented Azerbaijan at the Voice of Nur-Sultan. 

Azerbaijan debuted at Eurovision Song Contest in 2008 after the Azerbaijani television channel ITV joined the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and received the official right to broadcast the competition. 

Azerbaijan marked its debut in 2008 with the duo of Elnur and Samir, who managed to become eighth in the final with their song "Day after day".

The brilliant duet of Aysel and Arash, which represented Azerbaijan next year, took the third place at the song contest, while Safura Alizada, who represented the country at Eurovision 2010 in Oslo, became fifth.

On its fourth attempt with Ell and Nikki's "Running Scared" song, the Land of Fire won the event, bringing the contest to Baku’s Crystal Hall in 2012. Ell and Nikki were the first mixed-gender duo to win the contest since 1963 and the first winners from Azerbaijan.

It is noteworthy that Azerbaijan reached the Top 5 in five consecutive contests - 3rd in 2009, 5th in 2010, 1st in 2011, 4th in 2012, and 2nd in 2013.

In 2018, Aysel Mammadova brilliantly performed at Eurovision 2018 semi-final, but she couldn't make it to the final. The singer represented Azerbaijan with the song "X My Heart".

Azerbaijan's Chingiz Mustafayev impressed all Eurovision fans with his stunning performance last year.  The singer finished in the eighth place at the song contest.

"The Steppe Man" film has been awarded at international film festivals in Thailand and Turkey. 

The film won the prizes in the nomination "Best Feature Film" at Pattaya International Film Festival 2020, aimed at creating a community of independent film-makers.

In addition, "The Steppe Man" was awarded with Special Film Prize at Andromeda Film Festival 2020, established under the International Cinema Community. 

Like any other festival it is associated with, one of the goals of this festival is to fight unfair competition. 

Directed by Shamil Aliyev, "The Steppe Man" tells a story of a young steppe man who lives in remoteness from the city, closely tied to nature. His father teaches him the subtleties of life in the steppe.

Soon after his father's death, the young man meets a girl from a city. Their meeting becomes a new page in his life, a step to a big life unfamiliar to him before.

The film was produced in 2012 at Azerbaijanfilm studio by the order of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

"The Steppe Man" has been screened at more than 60 international film festivals, including Florence Film Awards 2019 (Italy), European Screen Awards 2019 (Indonesia), White Unicorn International Film Festival 2019 (WUIFF) and others.

The film also won in such nominations as "Best Director", "Best Screenplay", "Best Female Actor", "Creative Search".

"The Steppe Man" was selected as the Azerbaijani entry for the "Best Foreign Language Film" at the 86th Academy Awards (the Oscars).

The scriptwriter of the film is Vidadi Hasanov, cinematographer-Rafig Guliyev, art directors-Rafig Nasirov and Ibrahim Halil Aminov, composer-Rauf Aliyev, producers-Mushvig Hatamov and Azer Guliyev.

Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum has presented three more exhibits from the museum's Jewelry Collection.

The museum provided insight into unique types of earrings such as Daraghi, Oymaghi and Piala-zeng. 

"Earrings are the most widespread form of women’s decorations. The three-piece gold daraghi, made using a filigree technique, used to be especially popular. The earrings’ upper tier is a rosette in the form of a seven-petal flower with a colored stone in the center. The second tier hangs in the form of an opened fan whose segments are adorned with rosettes. The third tier is a long rectangular frame decorated with circles, from which are descended the links of pendants. The shape of the earring created the image of a decorative comb widely used by women in everyday life. Hence the name of the earrings, daraghi, which translated means like a comb," the message said.

A simplified form of these earrings is represented by oymaghi. These earrings feature the enamel technique in the shape of a hemisphere resembling a thimble (hence the name oymagi − thimble) and are decorated with stamped pendants in the form of a tulip.

Multi-component earrings, consisting of several independent elements - chetir (umbrella) and piala-zeng - were widely popular. Wealthy ladies displayed such earrings from under their head covers, the cascade of pendants descending almost to their shoulders.

For more information, please visit the museum`s Facebook. 

OK! Russia magazine has listed Zhara Music Festival among the world's best music festivals.

"The whole world has suddenly switched to online mode. All the exciting spring events have been canceled or postponed. However, we are patiently waiting for it to end, when it  will be possible to return to ordinary life and our favorite entertainment ", the message said. 

The list also included such word-famous festivals as Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Tomorrowland, Montreux Jazz Festival and other events. 

The dates of some of these festivals have been postponed from spring to autumn, while others will take place only next year. As for Zhara Music festival, the dates of its holding remain unchanged. 

The long-awaited music festival is expected to take place in Baku from July 29 to August 2, bringing together 300 celebrities.  

The festival is co-organized by People's Artist of Azerbaijan Emin Agalarov, Honored Artist of Russia Grigory Leps, founder of Russkoye Radio and Zolotoy Grammofon award Sergei Kozhevnikov.

More than 200 singers and bands like Chingiz Mustafayev, Monatik, Philipp Kirkorov, A’Studio, Vera Brezhneva, Bosson, Rita Dakota, Dmitry Matatov, Glyuk’oza, Nikolay Baskov, Kristina Orbakaite, Burito, Aleksandr Panayotov, Ani Lorak and others took part in the last year’s festival.

However, there is also possibility of holding music festival in Baku or Moscow without spectators amid coronavirus pandemic. 

One of the wonderful works of Qayyur Yunus, a traveler of truth, a devotee of traditions and history, a famous represantative of art, ensured with magic and mysteries, is an example of art called “The beauties of Karabakh“.  The artist's interest and appeal to the Gajar style and oriental miniatures manifest in this artwork. The main part of the artist's work is female images. The image of 3 women is reflected in the scene surrounded by a natural landscape. The beauty and powerful combination of different shades of red and brown colors instills artistic power and energy in the composition.  With small details of clothes; sineband, ornaments and chargat  emphasis the tradition and antiquity. We are also provided with information about the life of the period with a description of a simple, square-planned and domed village house. This work, created in modern times, is one of the most beautiful examples in the “Gajar style“.

Famous surrealist artist Mehriban Efendi has amazed art lovers with her new painting "Heavenly chosen".

The art work expresses her personal view on the world after coronavirus pandemic.

Mehriban Efendi believes that surrealism is an art movement that puts the attention of a confused person in a mysterious and unknowable world. For surrealism, people and the world, space and time lose their boundaries. Surrealism affirms the relativity of the world and its values. But it is only man and his love for the world around him that form the higher universe of the Earth....

"If you think about it, then the coronavirus pandemic has forced many things to take a fresh look, rethink the modern value system and take a big step into a colorful future. The state of our common home, the Earth, depends on us!," Mehriban Effendi told Trend Life. 

"The timely announced special quarantine regime helped prevent many serious losses, made it possible to get out of the difficult situation with minimal losses. Thanks to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, his immense care and attention to the citizens of the country, we were able to protect our beloved fathers and mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers, kids and everyone we care about. The coronavirus has not yet been defeated and the extension of quarantine until May 31 is the right decision to achieve the complete disappearance of this dangerous virus... As part of social self-isolation, I continue to be engaged in creativity, because every moment of this life is valuable and it must be useful, every minute of life on Earth should be appreciated. Let everyone have light in the window and in the soul, let the troubles go away forever! ", the artist added.

Mehriban Efendi has successfully displayed her art works in Portugal, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany, France, Italy and Macedonia and other countries.

In 2014, the artist was handed Sandro Botticelli Award “For Art and Talent". Her paintings "Mystery" and "Impression of The Night" were included in the book "Polychromia 2016" highlighting the best contemporary artists. 

In 2016, Mehriban Efendi received the title of Azerbaijan`s Honoured Artist.  She also worked as a costume designer with the German filmmaker Veit Helmer in his comedy "Absurdistan" (2008), shot in Azerbaijan. 

Azerbaijan State Art Gallery has opened a new virtual exhibition, inspired by the female beauty as part of "Evdə qal, qalib gəl" (Stay at home and win) campaign.

The virtual exposition includes about 40 works by such prominent artists as Togrul Narimanbayov, Gullu Mustafayev, Khalid Safarova, Talat Shikhaliyev, Altay Sadigzade, Gafar Seifullayev, Mirnadir Zeynalov, Elena Khagverdiyeva, Niyaz Najafov, Mirjavad Jada and others.

The images of beautiful women in the paintings of Azerbaijani artists are stunning! Each art piece charms with its vibrant colors and unique techniques. Sad and funny, gentle and energetic, thoughtful and dreamy - this is how women look in the eyes of national artists.

You can get acquainted with the works of famous Azerbaijani artists on the gallery`s Facebook  and Instagram. 

Azerbaijan National History Museum collects many exhibits dedicated to the World War II.

The museum`s exhibits, including photographs, paintings, documents and other historical materials are annually displayed at various exhibitions on the Victory Day (May 9). 

The exhibitions feature historical exhibits dedicated to the twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Hazi Aslanov, Colonel General Tofig Aghahuseynov, Major General Tarlan Aliyarbekov and others.

In addition, the museum’s "Weapons and Flags Fund" holds the banners of the infantry regiments of the 223rd Infantry Division, combat banner of the 416th Taganrog Infantry Division, etc. 

Since May 1, 2020, the museum has been presenting video projects timed to the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day over Fascism. All the videos are available on the museum`s Facebook. 

The Azerbaijan National Museum of History is one of the architectural pearls of the country, dating back to the 19th century. The largest museum in the country, was originally the private residence of Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, who was the famous national oil baron remembered for his generous philanthropy.

Over 300,000 items are stored in 10 collections in the museum, including a valuable library consisting mainly of unique books. The museum`s collections provide insight into history of Azerbaijan from past to present. 

Baku Museum Center has opened  the second virtual exhibition inspired by cozy home atmosphere as part of the project "Nostalgia" and "Evdə qal" (Stay at home) campaign.

The exhibition features works of such eminent artists as Togrul Narimanbayov, Irina Eldarova, Anvar Askarov, Anar Huseynzade, Melik Agamalov, Vugar Muradov, Bahruz Kengerli, Rashad Jabarov, Namik Mammadov, Yaver Sultanov, Vugar Ali, Abbas Mammadov, Arzu Rzayev, Niyaz Najafov, Inna Kostina, Samira Allahverdiyeva, etc. 

Initiated by the museum`s director Liana Vazirova, the exposition displays the City of Winds in all its beauty.

Fascinating art works make you feel nostalgic as they showcase the city`s old look. The exhibition was met with great interest.

Famous jazz musician Yanssel Castellon and his band Los Amigos has surprised music lovers with a new video "En Casa" (At Home).

The video also featured Azerbaijan`s talented musicians Samira Rajabli (vocal), Farid Agayev (piano), Sheida Alaskarova (flute), Rashid Aliyev (violin), Ismayil Zulfugarov (tar), Aykhan Ismayillt (drums) and Turan Isazade (trumpet).

Each musician recorded his performance at home. Then all the records were mounted in one video.  The musical project was met with great interest. 

Notably, Yanssel Castellon is a talented Cuban musician; singer, bass guitarist and director. He has taken part in many international festivals to promote Cuban and Latin American rhythms.