NEWS

Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theater opens a new season.

Report informs that the first play will be staged on October 30 at 19:00.

The theater will open the 112th season with a performance based on the eponymous musical comedy of the outstanding Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov "If Not That One, Then This One.'

The play 'The Golden Wedding' (Kazimi, Heydar), dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the People's Artist Ramiz Mammadov, will be staged on October 31.

The founder of the AFFFAIR brand, the world famous Azerbaijani designer Rufat Ismail, presented his collection Haute Couture Sumakh within the framework of the Paris Fashion Week.

Report learnt from the State Committee for Work with Diaspora that the designer created the collection inspired by the beauty, unique tenderness of Azerbaijani carpets, samples of the Karabakh carpet weaving school.

The Sumakh collection, presented with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the State Committee for Work with Diaspora, includes 21 costumes based on the patterns of Chelebi, Khanlig, Nelbeki-gyul and rich motives of Azerbaijani carpets.

The designer noted that he put all his soul, strength and love into the creation of this grandiose project. The collection, reflecting the eye-catching shades of Azerbaijani carpet art, was met with great enthusiasm.

In the future, it is planned to show the collection Haute Couture Sumakh in Moscow, Baku and New York.

Rufat Ismail is the first and only Azerbaijani and Turkish designer, whose collections were displayed at such grand events as fashion weeks in Milan, Italy, New York, Dubai, Turkey and Iran.

We should note that the fashion designer was awarded the Best Designer of Turkey -2018 award by the Turkish Association of Clothing Designers. His work was featured at New York Fashion Week.

The Mexican embassy presented its national dishes at the Fish Festival, organized by Azeri Home Chef Company and Artishok Events in Baku, on the coast of the Caspian Sea.

Report informs, citing the embassy that national dishes from Mexican cuisine, such as quesadillas with fish and ceviche with fish were prepared within the framework of the festival. Corn toasts were served with the dishes. These foods occupy an important place in the Mexican national cuisine.

Visitors were also able to get acquainted with some of the national handicrafts displayed at the stand.

Ceviche is made from fish meat marinated in lemon juice and served cold. Thus, ceviche is a fresh and tasty dish that can be consumed at any time of the day.

An event dedicated to the 880th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi was held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

The Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to UNESCO Elman Abdullayev, Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, permanent representatives of Turkey and other countries, and other officials attended the event organized by the Permanent Delegation of Azerbaijan to UNESCO.

Elman Abdullayev spoke about Nizami Ganjavi's rich creativity and his unparalleled contribution to human literature. Abdullayev informed the guests that Nizami, who lived all his life in only one city of Azerbaijan, Ganja, spoke several languages fluently and promoted women's rights, equality, justice, and peace, the most progressive ideas of his time. The ambassador noted that these thoughts are the main intentions of our time, and people have been fighting for them for a long time.

Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO stressed the importance of Ganjavi's philosophical ideas, saying that his literature was at the same time emotional, encouraging, and thought-provoking. He touched upon Azerbaijan's extensive activities in the field of preservation of world cultural and intangible heritage and expressed gratitude on behalf of UNESCO.

Songs written to Nizami's words were performed on the piano by Azerbaijani jazz master Etibar Asadli at the event.

Besides, an exhibition of mysterious miniatures based on the motifs of the poems included in the "Khamsa" of the great thinker Nizami Ganjavi, who promoted the values of peace, justice, humanism, high morals, freedom, and equality in his works, was opened.

Azerbaijan's delicious cuisine has been presented as part of the 13th Tashkent International Film Festival "Pearl of the Silk Road".

The heads and employees of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Uzbekistan, Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center in Tashkent, Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Friendship Society, culinary experts from Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, etc. attended the event, Azertag reported.

A culinary expert Nigar Amirbayova project showed the guests how to cook mouthwatering dolma.

It should be noted that Amirbayova heads the virtual project Diyar.az, aimed at promoting Azerbaijani cuisine.

Designed for both local and foreign audiences, this digital platform offers both traditional and forgotten recipes. 

Nigar Amirbayova is a member of the Azerbaijan Culinary Specialists Association. She  is a holder of the Chef's Cup and the Association's culinary certificate.

Next, Amirbayova made presentations on Azerbaijani national cuisine in Turkey, Arab countries, Europe and Latin America.

The participants praised Nigar Amirbayova's presentation and stressed the importance of the event in promoting Azerbaijani cuisine.

Speeches were made on the similarities and differences between Azerbaijani and Uzbek cuisine.

Azerbaijani Ambassador to Uzbekistan Huseyn Guliyev and head of the Association of Chefs of Uzbekistan Akbar Umarov praised the master classes, noting the rich traditions of Azerbaijani national cuisine. Umarov presented Nigar Amirbayova with a unique publication on Uzbek traditional cuisine.

The event was followed by a concert with participation of the Uzbek music group O'zbegim Yoshlari, Azerbaijani musicians Ilham Abdullayev as well as Diana Hajiyeva, who represented Azerbaijan at Eurovision 2017.

The measures taken by Azerbaijan in protecting the world's cultural and intangible heritage are worthy of high appraisal, UNESCO Deputy Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone Ramirez said at the organization's headquarters.

Report's French bureau informs that Ramirez spoke at an event dedicated to the 880th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi.

According to him, countries are mobilized to protect world heritage.

The UNESCO official thanked the government of Azerbaijan for its active participation in implementing the 2003 convention. He added that since the adoption of the Convention, many countries have worked together to achieve this goal.

According to Ramirez, preserving cultural and intangible heritage provides direct access to people's knowledge and is a live source.

The UNESCO official noted that Nizami Ganjavi's creativity is an integral part of the world's cultural and intangible heritage.

The UNESCO representative also highlighted Azerbaijan's work in protecting the art of miniature.

International Day of Older Persons has been solemnly marked in Azerbaijan with an exhibition.

The event was co-organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on the initiative of the First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva.

In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1 the International Day of Older Persons.

This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing – which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing – and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.

The exhibition was held as part of the "Building a society for all ages: promoting the welfare of the elderly in Azerbaijan through active lifestyle". 

The exhibition presents photographs taken by professional photographers, reflecting the active activities of older people.

The main goal of the project is to encourage the replacement of existing stereotypes and the traditional approach to the aging process in people's minds with positive perceptions of the aging phenomenon.

The photographs reflect an active and healthy lifestyle which breaks all stereotypes about the aging process. 

Representative of the Secretariat of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Fargan Abaszadeh stressed the importance of the project which covers supportive and inclusive programs for the elderly people and contributes to raising public awareness of healthy lifestyle.

The photo exhibition on the International Day of Older Persons is the next step in this direction.

The head of the UN Population Fund in Azerbaijan Farid Babayev called the elderly, who are trying to follow an active and healthy lifestyle, positive role models for the community and society as a whole.

"Nowadays we all need such positive examples. Now we should try to present these examples and promote positive experiences through such measures. I hope that despite the fact that it is still a very new concept in our society, more people will focus on the active and healthy lifestyle among old people...," he said.

Chairman of the DOST Agency Farid Mammadov spoke about measures to strengthen the social protection of senior citizens in the country. He noted that this project is one of the government's social protection measures for the elderly in general.

Furthermore, the photographers were exhibited at the Seaside Boulevard.

Azerbaijani filmmakers have been awarded at the 13th Tashkent International Film Festival "Pearl of the Silk Road".

Murad Huseynov and Saddam Mehdiyev were awarded in the nomination "In the name of enlightenment and progress" held within the festival's "Cinema in 5 Days" competition aimed at promoting young filmmakers. 

The competition focuses on  development of the international youth cinema industry; the opening of new film locations, both modern and historical and increases the interest of the world young generation in the rich cultural heritage of Uzbekistan.

Cinema in 5 Days provides great opportunity to strengthen international ties and partnership among young filmamkers. 

Murad Huseynov's film "Time of Wild Cranes" and the film "Two Roads" directed by Murad Huseynov and Saddam Mehdiyev were screened as part of the program.

Meanwhile, the Days of Azerbaijani Cinema have been held within the 13th Tashkent International Film Festival. 

The Days of Azerbaijani Cinema featured eight films, including Ismayil Safarali's "Fisherman's Daughter", Rufat Hasanov's "Inner City", Ali Sattar Guliyev's "Olympia", Ksenia Lagutina's "Farida", Orman Aliyev's "We", Fariz Ahmadov's "The Last One", Murad Huseynov's "Time of Wild Cranes" and the film "Two Roads" directed by Murad Huseynov and Saddam Mehdiyev.

Tashkent International Film Festival "Pearl of the Silk Road", also known as the International Film Festival of Asia, Africa and Latin America, was held in several cities of Uzbekistan.

The Pearl of the Silk Road is an innovative platform for the exchange of experience with international colleagues and a grandiose movie marathon that promises to be the cultural breakthrough of the year.

Tashkent International Film Festival "Pearl of the Silk Road" was held under the slogan "For Peace, Enlightenment and Progress. 

The 8th International Congress of Music and Dance has opened at Baku Music Academy (BMA). 

A video dedicated to the academy's 100th anniversary was shown at the opening ceremony.

In his speech, the head of the congress, professor Kurshad Gulbeyaz pointed out that the three-day symposium brought together more than 200 participants from 9 countries.

The congress will host 114 performances, 28 concerts and 3 art exhibitions, scientific conferences.

The Baku Premium Park Hotel will become a venue for scientific conferences, and concert performances will be held at the concert hall of the BMA's Opera Studio.

Speaking at the event, Kurshad Gulbeyaz, stressed the special importance of the congress which kicks off when the Baku Music Academy celebrates its 100th anniversary. She congratulated BMA's rector, People's Artist, professor Farhad Badalbayli on this significant date.

In his speech, Farhad Badalbayli spoke about the significance of the congress. He touched upon the unity of the Turkic world and its unity, friendly ties and cooperation with other countries.

BMA's rector praised Azerbaijan's victory in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Among the guests of the event were well-known representatives of culture and science,  including Vice-rector for Science at the National Conservatory, professor Lala Huseynova, acting Rector of the Baku Choreographic Academy Naila Mammadzade, Rector of Mugla University Sitki Kochman, professor, Dr. Husein Chichek, Rector of Sakarya University Fatih Savashan, President of the Kyrgyz Traditional Music Fund Adelya Karmaliyeva, Rector of Antalya University of Culture and Education, professor Kamila Perchin Akgul, People's Artist of Azerbaijan dancer and choreographer Roza Jalilova, who expressed their gratitude for holding the congress and wished success to the participants.

Congress participants from other countries who were unable to come to Baku expressed their congratulations and heartfelt words virtually.

The opening ceremony was followed by the performance of  the vocalists, including the BMA senior teacher, Honored Artist Ilham Nazarov and Tofig Zeynalov.

The vocalists were accompanied by laureate of international competitions, talented pianist Nargiz Kangarli.

Together they performed Muslim Magomayev's song "Azerbaijan" and Farhad Badalbayli's "Ave Maria" and Jovdet Hajiyev's "Ballad".

The Azerbaijani State Musical Theater has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the George Eristavi State Drama Theater. 

The document was signed by the director of the State Musical Theater, Honored Art Worker Aligismet Lalayev and artistic director of the George Eristavi State Drama Theater David Chkhartishvili, Trend Life reported.

The sides agreed on holding mutual tours, creative exchanges and other joint initiatives. 

The signed memorandum is of great importance from the point of view of mutual cooperation.

Despite all challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Musical Theater continues to work on new projects. The theater aims at presenting new forms of creativity.

The partnership between the Azerbaijani and Georgian theaters contributes to the strengthening of bilateral cultural ties.

Over the last year, the State Musical Theater has hosted many cultural events of national and international importance. A number of performances were premiered, the theatre team participated in high-level international competitions and won numerous awards. Many steps were taken to attract more viewers to the theater.