NEWS

The auction houses of Sotheby's and Christie's have decided to cancel upcoming auctions of the Russian art due to the situation in Ukraine, Report informs citing Interfax that The Art Newspaper said with reference to representatives of the auction houses.

"Sotheby's will also not hold auctions of the Russian art in June. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all those affected by the Ukrainian crisis," the publication quoted a statement from a representative of the auction house.

The June auction of Christie's is reportedly canceled.

Saz is an ancient stringed musical instrument of Azerbaijan, which is also considered one of the symbols of the Turkic world and Turkic spirituality.

Ashig (folk) songs - essential part of Azerbaijani wedding celebrations, are often accompanied by the balaban (small wind instrument resembling zurna) and wind ensembles, but the main musical instrument of these songs is saz.

As an integral part of the ashig art, rooted in the tradition of the great ozans, saz is played with a plectrum and fingerstyle.

There are several sizes of saz: big (8-11 strings), average (8-9 strings) and small (4-7 strings).

The modern Azerbaijani saz is considered to be the perfect descendant of the gopuz. The modern Azerbaijani saz differs from the saz that is widespread among other Turkic peoples in terms of its technical performance and acoustic features, with considerable advantages.

The instrument is composed of 2 parts: a bowl and a neck. The body of the saz is made of specific kinds of mulberry wood. The neck is made of nut wood. The surface is usually decorated with mother-of-pearl.

The trunk of the body is assembled from wooden pieces in an odd number (usually nine). These lags are assembled on a small part called the “kup”, which connects the body with the neck. The neck is attached to the “kup”. The top of the body is covered with a thin wooden sounding board, and 16-17 frets are fastened to the instrument’s finger-board.

The “tavar saz”, or “ana saz”, has nine, sometimes eight strings. The smaller “orta” or “goltug” saz has six, sometimes seven strings.

The “jura saz”, which is the smallest, has four to six strings. The strings used to be made of high-quality steel that had been dipped in a silver solution; such strings never rusted and broke only in very rare cases.

In an orchestra of national instruments, the saz is used as a solo instrument. Usually, the “goltug” or “jura” saz is used for this purpose. The sound of the saz is produced with the help of a plectrum, made as a rule from cherry bark.

The basic “Tavar” saz has a total length of 1,200 mm. The depth of the body is 200 mm. The tavar saz’s range goes from the “do” of the first octave to the “sol” of the second octave.

Azerbaijan has a rich animation heritage reaching as far back as the 1930s. When looking back at Azerbaijani animations it’s evident there are two phases of production. The first began in 1933, when Azerbaijanfilm Studio began preparatory work with materials imported from Moscow. In that same year they produced the documentaries, ‘Lokbatan’ and ‘The Oil Symphony’ (director B.Pumpyansky), by using the technical animation. It was fully used in the educational film ‘Cat’ (painter Basov) that was shown on the all-union screens by 1938. This film served as an incentive for film studio workers, and a group of entrepreneurs also decided to create a cartoon. The theme of the cartoons was taken from folk tales.

The first fully animated film was produced in 1935 called “Misfortune of Abbas”. Unfortunately, the beginning of the war stopped Azerbaijanfilm Studio’s ability to produce further animation work and the necessary facilities were not provided to the studio until 1965, when the first animation workshop in the studio was opened.

On February 28, 1969, the shootings of the animated film "Jirtdan" (Dwarf) based on the folk tale of the same name were completed. "Jirtdan" was the first film shot after the restoration of the animation workshop of the studio. The film was screened in 1969. Thus, the shooting of "Jirtdan" ushered in the 2nd phase in the history of animated films in Azerbaijan.

"Beautiful Fatma", "Dwarf-Jirtdan", "Fox is going to the pilgrimage", “Tik Tik Khanim”, "Mirror", and “Javanshir” have been considered the most favorite animated films of Azerbaijani children for many years.

The most recent success in the production of animated film was Azerbaijan`s first national animation film in 3D format, "Jirtdan and Tapagoz", which was released in 2012 with the support of the Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture.

Aghdam Juma Mosque was built by architect Karbalayi Safikhan Garabaghi in the years 1868-1870. The core of the prayer hall project comprises traditional square shape bearing four pillars in the middle. Three rows of deep niches carved in the east and west sides of the square widened the space of the hall and gave it a rectangular shape. There is a high sanctuary niche in the middle of the south wall of the prayer hall. Elegant sanctuary niche bears an inscription of the name of the master of architectural décor (late Karbalayi Naggash Tabrizi’s son – master Mahammad Naggash Tabrizi) and repair date (1331 Hegira calendar, 1913 AD).

Proceeding with the tradition of Juma Mosques with two minarets widespread in medieval Azerbaijani architecture, architect Karbalayi Safikhan Garabaghi created the original type of mosque - Aghdam Juma Mosque in accordance with the call of his times, also architecture and construction experience of Karabakh.

In July, 1993, like other buildings, Juma Mosque was also demolished during the occupation of Aghdam. On November 20, 2020, Aghdam Juma Mosque was liberated from occupation.

Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater is one of the best places to be for theater lovers. This is  where you can catch fascinating opera productions nearly any night of the week.

And very soon the theater will reveal all its secrets kept behind the stage on March 27.

Theater lovers have a chance to enjoy the rehearsals of solo vocalists, ballet dancers, choir and orchestra as part of the project "One day at the theater". 

They will also be able to learn about the work of technical departments that are directly involved in opera productions. 

A visit to the theater will be organized at 12.00 and 14.00. Those wishing to take part in this event can sign up by calling the theater administration: 493 94 05.

The State Opera and Ballet Theater has played a major role in shaping the Azerbaijani opera art.

"Leyli and Majnun" by Uzeyir Hajibeyli,  the first opera of the entire East, was first performed at the theater in 1908.

The opera laid the foundation of the new genre in musical culture of the world, which synthesizes oriental and European musical forms, resembling a dialogue of two musical cultures of East and West.

It was followed by multiple national operas such as "Sheikh Sanan" (1909), "Rustam and Zohrab" (1910), "Shah Abbas and Khurshid Banu" (1911), "Asli and Kerem"(1912), "Harun and Leyla" (1915), "Koroghlu " (1932). 

Today, the theater continues to delight its guests with fascinating ballets, operas, and other theatrical performances.

In 2021, the theater celebrated its 100th anniversary. The theater's chief director, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Hafiz Guliyev as well as the soloists-Honored Artist Ilaha Efendieva, Jahangir Gurbanov and Farid Aliyev provided insight into the country's opera art as part of "United by Culture" project.

After a break amid pandemic, the theater delighted its audience with a premier. Alexander Borodin's "Polovtsian Dances" were presented in the theater for the first time.

Polovtsian Dances is a ballet fragment from the opera "Prince Igor". For almost 18 years, Borodin worked on his opera. However, he would present the work to the public as it remained incomplete following Borodin's death. The opera was completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov.

"Georgia is not highly dependent on natural gas imports from Russia, more than 90% of our needs are met by Azerbaijan. We have no other source," David Narmania, chairman of the Georgian National Regulatory Commission for Energy and Water Supply, has told the local bureau of Report.

According to him, the gas supply from Russia has not exceeded 10% for many years.

“In 2021, this figure was 15%, which was due to an accident in the gas pipeline in Azerbaijan in February-March. After the consequences of the accident were eliminated, the indicator returned to the previous level.

In conformity with this year's forecast, Georgia plans to import 2,695 million cubic meters of natural gas. Of this volume, 2,514 million cubic meters, or 93.28% will be imported from Azerbaijan. The volume of gas to be supplied from Russia will be 200 million cubic meters.

Four more Turkish TV channels - TMB, Akıllı, Nurs and EuroTrio - have started broadcasting via the telecommunications satellite Azerspace-1, Report learned from the Space Agency (Azercosmos) under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan.

The report says that TMB TV airs programs about the music and culture of Turkic-speaking states. Akıllı TV and Nurs TV mainly show entertainment programs. EuroTrio TV broadcasts English-language programs.

Renowned Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna will give another spectacular concert in Baku.

The concert will take place at the Heydar Aliyev Center on April 28. 

Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna’s performance will be the fifth in a row at the Heydar Aliyev Center.

Each concert of the Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna was sold out.

Wonderful show and fascinating music await the audience at the upcoming concert, which will be conducted by founder and artistic director of the orchestra, Austrian violinist and conductor Peter Guth.

Following the traditions of Johann Strauss, Peter Guth captivates the audience with fascinating performances. He successfully tours with famous symphony and chamber orchestras, conducts operettas on the stages of major opera houses.

Founded in 1978, the Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna has gained worldwide fame thanks to a wide repertoire, including the works by composers from the Strauss dynasty.

The orchestra musicians regularly participate in various festivals, including the annual "Strauss- Festival" which is held in Europe.

The tickets can be purchased at the box office of the Heydar Aliyev Center,  box offices in Baku and at  iTicket.

Maestro Niyazi, who was born on August 20, 1912 in Tbilisi in the family of the famous composer of his time Zulfugar Hajibayli (Uzeyir Hajibayli’s brother, also a famous composer), is originally from Shusha.

He is an author of "Khosrov and Shirin" opera (1942), "Zagatala suite" (1934), "Return" (1939), "Concert waltz" symphonic works, "Rast" symphonic mugham (1949) , the "Dance Suite for Symphony Orchestra", the ballet "Chitra" (1962) based on the works of Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore (1962) and other musical works.

He prepared new editions of the works "Arshin mal alan (Cloth Peddler)", worked for the symphony orchestra of Azerbaijani folk songs ("Khumar oldum", "Qaragila", "Ay bari bax", "Kuchalara su sapmisham", etc.).

Niyazi, one of the authors of the first symphonic works in Azerbaijani music, played an important role in the formation and development of national symphony.

He was appointed artistic director and chief conductor of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.

Niyazi's "Concert Waltz", symphonic works, concertos for orchestra with piano are considered masterpiece of classical music.

Having conducted in the symphonic orchestras in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Bucharest, New York, Paris, Istanbul, London, Tehran, Beijing, etc., Niyazi made Azerbaijani classical music world-famous.

Niyazi left a deep mark on the culture of Azerbaijan and the entire Turkic world, combining such features as patriotism and humanism at the same time, conducting works of Azerbaijani, Turkish and foreign composers in different countries, glorifying them all over the world.

The name of Niyazi is always treated with love, both in Azerbaijan and in Turkey.

Maestro Niyazi died on August 2, 1984 in the city of Baku.

Khanabert Fortress is a historical-architectural monument located in Vangli village of Kalbajar district, on the south side of Ganjasar monastery.

The castle has been registered by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a monument of national importance.