The 2nd International “Winter Tale” Music Festival will begin in Gabala on February 5.
The festival is organized by the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Baku Music Academy with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, and Gilan. The Gabala Music Festival, traditionally held in the summer season since 2009, is organized in winter for the second consecutive year.
Over the four days of the festival, a diverse program will be presented to the audience at the Heydar Aliyev Congress Center in Gabala. Concerts tailored to various musical tastes – including vocal and chamber instrumental evenings, solo performances, flamenco-jazz, and themed nights such as “Azerbaijan-Spain” and “Baku-Naples”- will add color to the cold winter season.
The first day of the festival will be dedicated to the music heritage of the great composer Gara Garayev. People’s Artists Farhad Badalbeyli and Murad Adigozelzadeh, as well as the Azerbaijan State String Quartet, will perform on stage.
The festival’s grand opening ceremony will be held on February 6. The opening concert will feature the Symphony Orchestra of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, conducted by Honored Artist Eyyub Guliyev. The evening will feature performances by Honored Artist Afag Abbasova (soprano), Aytac Shikhalizade (mezzo-soprano), Azer Zade (tenor), and Mahir Taghizade (baritone). The program will consist of beloved works by Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, Franz Lehár, Musa Mirzayev, and other Azerbaijani and world composers.
In addition to being a musical celebration, the Gabala Festival is considered an important contribution to intercultural dialogue, and this year is no exception. On February 7, a chamber music evening titled “Baku-Naples: Musical Bridge” will be held in Gabala, embodying the friendship between Azerbaijan and Italy. Audiences will listen to works by both Azerbaijani and Italian composers.
The closing ceremony of the “Winter Tale” International Music Festival will take place on February 8. The final evening, titled “Azerbaijan-Spain: Two Countries, One Music,” will feature flamenco-jazz performances by invited musicians and dancers from Spain.
For four days, Gabala will once again treat music lovers to an unforgettable “Winter Tale.”