BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 17. In the heart of the Nasimi Gardens Complex in Shamakhi, Azerbaijan, a vibrant tapestry of culture will unfurl for the very first time, celebrating the luminous legacy of Imadaddin Nasimi on September 24, Trend reports.
The event will roll out the red carpet for the premiere of the ballet "Nasimi Dastani" in a fresh new staging.
On the festival’s second day, performances will be accompanied by the Ancient Musical Instruments Ensemble, featuring celebrated artists Alim Gasimov, Farghana Qasimova, Ilkin Dovlatov, and Huseyn Malikov. Recitations will be delivered by national artists Rasim Balayev, Mekhriban Zeki, and Khalida Guliyeva, honored artist Gasim Naghi, and Aliagha Tapdigov, Firuza Ismayil, and Lala Suleymanli.
The day will also host the open-air "Multidisciplinary Art Festival," including master classes, performances by ghazal singer Arif Buzovnali and young poets, a poetry flash mob, a lecture on Sufism by Turkish writer and musician Hakan Mengüç, and presentations by Türkiye’s "Tarz-ı Vefa Kervanı" group.
In the evening, audiences will enjoy a diverse concert program at Nasimi Gardens. Highlights include the "Sufi" dance by the Azerbaijan State Song and Dance Ensemble named after Fikrat Amirov, performances by Alim Gasimov, Natig Shirinov, and the "Natig" rhythm group, honored artists Sevda Alekbarzadeh and Elnur Mikayilov on kamancha, as well as performances by Chingiz Mustafayev, AISEL, the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater Symphonic Orchestra, and the Azerbaijan State Choir Capella.
One of the festival’s most anticipated highlights is the new staging of the ballet "Nasimi Dastani." The timeless composition by Fikret Amirov has been directed by renowned producer Andris Liepa, with choreography by Patrick De Bana, who has worked with various international troupes. The ballet will be performed by the ballet company accompanied by the Symphonic Orchestra of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, presented outdoors in front of Nasimi’s monument.
The festival, set to take place from September 23 to 25, is being put together by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, in cahoots with ICESCO, showcasing a lineup of premieres and special performances. It is considered a significant international event promoting Azerbaijani art and celebrating the rich philosophical and literary legacy of one of the greatest medieval Eastern poets, Imadaddin Nasimi.
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