Arif Malikov's ballet " Legend of Love" shown in Italy

Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater has successfully participated in Nervi Rozza Music Ballet Festival held in Italy with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Culture Ministry, Azernews reports.

The theater team fascinated the audience with the ballet "The Legend of Love" by the outstanding composer, People's Artist Arif Malikov (1933 – 2019).

Arif Malikov composed the ballet Legend of Love based on the libretto of the famous Turkish poet Nazim Hikmat's play Farhad and Shirin. Arif Malikov started working on the work consisting of 3 scenes and 7 pictures since 1958 and finished it in 2 years.

The ballet premiere took place at the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater (now St. Petersburg State Academic Maria Theater) on March 23, 1961.

Ballet master Yuri Grigorovich, artist Simon Virsaladze, conductor of the play was maestro Niyazi. In July 1962, the premiere of the work was held on the stage of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.

The Legend of Love ballet is still conquering world stages. The work has been demonstrated in more than 60 theaters in different countries. The stage play was well received in the USA, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Brazil, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Turkiye, Ukraine, Japan, and other countries.

Director-General of Genoa Opera Theater Claudio Orazi, the artistic director Pierancelo Conte, the Mayor of Genoa Carlo Bucci, the cultural curator of the region Jessica Niccolini and other distinguished guests were among those who watched the ballet.

The ballet "The Legend of Love" will be also shown at Arena di Verona in August.