The 140th anniversary of Uzeyir Hajibeyli was celebrated in Serbia
The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Serbia organized a concert at the Belgrade Philharmonic on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the birth of the great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli.
The event was attended by about 200 guests, including the Ombudsman of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva, representatives of Serbian state institutions, ambassadors of foreign countries, military attachés, media representatives, figures of science, culture and religion, as well as members of the diaspora.
After the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Serbia were performed by the St. George Strings Chamber Orchestra of Serbia, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Serbia, Kamil Khasiyev, delivered a speech and stated that Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s work played an important role in shaping the national identity and musical traditions of the Azerbaijani people. The State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, composed by him, has for many years served as one of the main symbols expressing the ideals of our country’s freedom, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ambassador emphasized that the fact that this anniversary coincides with the 5th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s victory in the Patriotic War and the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan increases the significance of the jubilee.
The high level of strategic partnership and friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Serbia was also noted at the event. Ambassador Khasiyev recalled that Serbia is one of the few countries in the world where a monument to Uzeyir Hajibeyli has been erected. He also noted that Serbian Post issued a special postage stamp dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the great composer, thus contributing to this remarkable occasion.
Following the speech, a concert program was presented. Under the direction of Mustafa Mehmandarov, conductor of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, the concert featured the Director of the Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Belgrade and prima soprano of the Serbian National Theatre Jasmina Trumbetaš Petrović, pianist Mina Ristić Jonić, soloist Orkhan Jalilov, pianist Vasif Huseyn, tar player Ibrahim Babayev, balaban player Magsad Azizov, the “Ritm” dance group, and the St. George Strings Chamber Orchestra of Serbia, who performed works by Uzeyir Hajibeyli as well as Serbian composer Isidor Bajić.
The performances of the musicians, which aroused great interest among the audience, were met with applause.
