CULTURE
BAKU CELEBRATES DAY OF NATIONAL MUSIC
Baku, 18 September (AZERTAC). Opening of the national music day took place at the foot of the Baku Music Academy, near Uzeyir Hajibeyli monument today. The ceremony was organized by the ministry of culture and tourism. On 18 September, 1995, national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev signed a decree on commemoration of 110 birthday of Uzeyir Hajibeyli. Since then, Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s birthday has been celebrated annually as a Day of national music in Azerbaijan. Since Baku was named a capital of Islamic culture 2009, this year the day of national music turned into a real international music week, featuring a series of events both in Baku and regions.
Opening of the week featured minister of education Misir Mardanov, rector of the Baku Music academy Farhad Badalbeyli, Head of the Union of composers Firangiz Alizade, TURKSOY Director General Dusen Kaseinov, Uzeir Hajibeyli Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra, State Choir, etc.
“Uzeir Hajibeyli is pride of Azerbaijani people. He is a godfather of Azerbaijani classical music and opera, although he is widely recognized as a great scholar, dramatist, publicist and enlightener”, participants said at the ceremony.
On January 18, 1908, Baku Tagiyev’s Theater hosted the opening night of Hajibeyli’s “Leyli and Majnun” opera, the first opera in Azerbaijan and the whole East. Uzeyir Hajibeyli is also the founder of the genre of musical comedy in Azerbaijan.
Recently Heydar Aliyev Foundation has supported the release of several books, sheet music and CD-s entirely devoted to Uzeyir Hajibeyli works.
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