Fikrat Amirov's prominent ballet premiered in Ganja

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Fikrat Amirov's ballet "One Thousand and One Nights" has been premiered in Ganja, Azernews reports.

The ballet was staged at the Ganja State Philharmonic Hall for the first time.

The large-scale event was organized in accordance with the presidential order to celebrate Fikrat Amirov's centenary.

The composer wrote the first Azerbaijani lyrical-psychological opera on a contemporary theme. In the opera "Sevil", the composer used a variety of musical forms.

He is the author of numerous operas, ballets, symphonies, symphonic poems, symphonic mugham, suites, capriccio, piano concertos, sonatas, musical comedies, songs, love songs, piano pieces, music for dramatic productions, and movies.

Head of the Ganja Cultural Department Vasif Jannatov and director of the Culture Ministry's Music Department Vugar Gumbatov spoke about Fikrat Amirov's contribution to Azerbaijani music.

The ballet "Arabian Nights" brought together Honored Artists Anar Mikayilov (Shahriyar), Nigar Ibragimova (Scheherazade), and Jamilya Karimova (Nurida) who performed the main roles as well as the leading soloists of the ballet troupe including Seymur Gadiyev, Ayan Eyvazova, Teymur Odushev, Islam Mammadov, and others.

The ballet production was staged by Honored Artist Yuri Lobachev.

The performance of the artists was met with a standing ovation from the audience.

Known in English as the "Arabian Nights", the work is about Scheherazade, a Sassanid Queen, who tells a series of stories to her husband, King Shahryar in order to delay her execution.

The ballet was first staged at the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in 1979. In 1980, the ballet was awarded the USSR State Prize.

For more than forty years, ballet has been staged with triumph on world stages.

The ballet's new version was premiered as part of the 5th Mariinsky International Far East Festival in 2020.

More than 300 costumes with hand embroidery were made for the ballet show directed by Honored Art Worker of Russia Eldar Aliyev.