SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, May 14. The opening of the grand 9th Kharibulbul International Music Festival, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, took place on the ancient land of Karabakh – in the city of Shusha, on the famous Jydyr Duzu plain, Trend's special correspondent reports.
Traditionally, the festival is attended not only by art figures from Azerbaijan but also by musical groups and soloists from various countries; this year, representatives are from the U.S., Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Japan, Germany, and other nations.
The festival opened with the dance composition "My Azerbaijan" and the work “Jannatim Karabakh (My heaven Garabagh)” by the outstanding composer Jahangir Jahangirov. Guests were presented with a bright and colorful program of national and world masterpieces, the pearls of art.
Renowned artists and young talents performed to the applause of the audience in a large gala concert. Among them were People's Artists of Azerbaijan Polad Bulbuloghlu, Tunzala Aghayeva, and Yusif Eyvazov, as well as Honored Artists Azer Zada, Elnara Mammadova, Elvin Goja Ganiyev, and Tayyar Bayramov. The concert also featured ashugs and Honored Cultural Workers Samira Aliyeva and Ali Tapdygoghlu, laureates of international competitions Jamal Aliyev, Mushfig Guliyev, Riad Mammadov, and Ismayil Zeynalov, performer Gabil Mammadov and his students, Mariinsky Theatre soloist Hamid Abdulov, Japanese musician Kiyoshi Ohira, German "Deutsche Oper am Rhein" soloist Mara Huseynova, Turkish performer Ugur Isilak, as well as creative groups – the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble, the Fikret Amirov State Song and Dance Ensemble, the Uzeyir Hajibeyli State Symphony Orchestra, the Azerbaijan State Choral Chapel, students of the Baku Choreography Academy, the Kazakh ethno-folk ensemble "Turan," the Uzbek dance ensemble "Shodlik," and the Turkmen ensemble "Galkynysh." The festive concert concluded with the performance of the "Karabakh Yalli."
Over the course of two days, concerts and cultural events will be held at various venues across the city of Shusha. The festival is aimed at developing intercultural dialogue and strengthening musical ties and creative exchange between artists from different countries.
The Kharibulbul Festival holds special significance for cultural life and is viewed not only as an international musical event but also as a symbol of the revival of Shusha and the preservation of Azerbaijan's rich musical heritage.
The festival is traditionally held in Shusha – the cultural capital of Azerbaijan – and its name is associated with the Kharibulbul flower, which is considered a symbol of Karabakh and the city of Shusha itself. The history of the festival began in 1989, and it achieved international status as early as 1990. During the Karabakh conflict, festival concerts were held in Aghdam, Barda, and Aghjabadi. After the historical victory in the Patriotic War and the liberation of our lands from occupation, the festival was revived and is once again held in Shusha. Some festival concerts have also taken place in the city of Lachin.
Will be updated
