Azerbaijan's brilliant victory in the Second Karabakh War has inspired many cultural and art figures to create majestic art works.

Musicians, composers, poets and artists glorify the return of Azerbaijan's historical lands. Filled with a great pride for homeland, young composer Ilaha Qismat wrote the ballet "Iron Fist" devoted to Azerbaijan's victory in the Second Karabakh War.

The ballet was staged within the project "Victory Road of the Shusha Conquerors" (?u?a fatehl?rinin Z?f?r yolu).

Speaking about the ballet, Ilaha Qismat told AZERNEWS that patriotic themes have always taken a special part in the composer's life.

Q: What did inspire you to create "Iron Fist" ballet?

A: I would like to note that I developed a sense of patriotism in my early childhood. The patriotic theme has always taken a special part in my composing activity. Even the first music piece, composed by me in early childhood, was the military march. This composition is still included in the repertoire of the Defense Ministry's Military Orchestra. Despite the fact that Shusha was captured by Armenia long before my birth, I still felt sorrow and looked forward to the day when Shusha would be liberated. And that day has come! My heart was filled with endless joy, which I put in the ballet.

Q: What can you say about the ballet plot?

A: The duration of the ballet performance is 44 minutes, which symbolizes the 44-day Patriotic War. The image of Adil Ibrahimli, the First Lieutenant of the Special Forces, the Hero of the 44-day Patriotic War takes a central place in the ballet. During the First Karabakh War, when he was still a small child, his father was mercilessly killed before his eyes, leaving a deep traumatic mark on his heart. The time has passed and our hero says goodbye to the love of his life and goes to war with his brave friends. The mighty Azerbaijani Army constantly wins victories in the war, and the brave warrior waves our flag on the top of Shusha and raises his "Iron Fist" to the sky.

Q: Can you tell us about the process of working on the ballet?

A: First of all, I would like to note the author of the libretto is Yuri Lobachev, ballet masters are Y. Lobachev and Jeyhun Gubadov. The ballet artists were dressed in modern costumes, as well as in the style of the 90s. As for the music in the ballet, it is very simple and understandable, perfectly combining the national character.

Q: How was the ballet received by the public?

A: The play received positive feedback from the audience. Most of them thanked me for preserving the national spirit in the ballet music. The ballet was accompanied by a display of real battle scenes. Families of martyrs, war veterans, military personnel watched the ballet. Many public and cultural figures also attended the ballet show, including Chairman of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, People's Artist Frangiz Alizade, Chairman of Composting Department at Baku Music Academy Aydin Azimov, professor, musicologist Zemfira Qafarova, Vice-Rector of Baku Music Academy Gulnaz Abdullazade and many others, whose presence was a great support to me.