Baku will host Fidan Hajiyeva's First International Opera Festival from April 27 to May 3.

The event is co-organized by the Vocal Music School of People's Artist Fidan Hajiyeva with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

In an interview with Trend Life, Fidan Hajiyeva spoke about the project, which will become a significant event in the country's cultural life.

"Holding a large-scale festival will be a great musical celebration for lovers of classical art. For seven days, the works of Azerbaijani classics and world authors will be presented at various concert venues. The main goal of the project is to promote and develop classical music in Azerbaijan and identify and support new talents in the field of opera arts. I would especially note that the most important thing will be to provide young and young performers with the opportunity to share the stage with famous masters, conductors, and musicians, including those from abroad, with whom there will be joint performances and duets from opera roles. Caring for the younger generation, opening up, and realising their talent is very important in the project. Each of them will be awarded an international certificate. All these factors will provide excellent motivation and incentives for further creative development. Moreover, among the guests there will be foreign masters, performing in front of whom it will help the youth to show themselves, open up for them new roads, and in the future it will make itself known on the international stage. There are no age restrictions in our festival; young talents from 6 to 16 years and older will take part, among whom will be representatives of my vocal school, students of the National Conservatory and the Baku Academy of Music, and students of music schools in Baku and other regions of the country. Especially for this purpose, a preliminary selection will be carried out both in the capital and in other cities of the country," Fidan Hajiyeva said.

Among the festival's distinguished guests are world-famous conductors and composers, artistic director and chief conductor of the Bavarian Gutt-Imling Opera Festival Cornelia von Kerssenbrock (Germany) and director of the Cemal Re?it Rey Concert Hall Murat Cem Orhan (Turkiye), an outstanding opera baritone, director of the Latvian National Opera Egils Silins, and many others.

Azerbaijan will be represented at the festival by People's Artists Gulnaz Ismailova, Samir Jafarov, Azer Zeynalov, Honored Artists Ramil Gasimov, Farid Aliyev, Anar Shushaly, Farida Mamedova, Anton Verstandt, Jahangir Gurbanov, Ilaha Afandiyeva, Inara Babayeva, Afag Abbasova, Tural Agasiyev, laureates of international competitions Taleh Yakhyayev, Mahir Tagizade, Atesh Garayev, MEZZO Women's Chamber Orchestra, etc.

Concert programs will be presented in the Opera Studio of the Baku Music Academy, the State Academic Philharmonic Hall, the Hall of Chamber and Organ Music, the International Mugham Centre, and the Fidan Hajiyeva Music Vocal School in Ganja and Nakhchivan.

"Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen" in the modern genre will be premiered at the festival's opening ceremony. The music will remain classical, but the scenery and costumes will be modern, since the action of the performance has been transferred to the present day. A very original idea belongs to the world-famous opera singer and director of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, People's Artist Yusif Eyvazov. The opera production is directed by Elvin Mirzoyev. The main roles in the opera will be performed by me and Farid Aliyev. Children's choir will also be involved in the performance. I will not reveal all the details, but it will be a spectacular performance. One of the festival's days will be dedicated to children's opera. It is very important to introduce classical art at an early age. Since 1996, I have been on the professional stage, and from a very early age, even when I was studying at the Bulbul Music School, teachers constantly took us to the opera and ballet theatres, where my love for classical music began. This area has a very beneficial effect on a person’s development; his upbringing, morals, and leadership qualities form the right musical taste and expand his worldview. I take part in various events with my students; they become laureates and promote vocal art in their schools - all this serves the purpose of development. Azerbaijan has a very talented younger generation and youth, and it is gratifying that the love for classical art is increasingly finding a response in their hearts, and they are devoting themselves to this field. The whole world should know about our talents! The first women's chamber orchestra in Azerbaijani history-MEZZO, which I created in 2019, will also perform as part of the festival. One of the significant evenings will be dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the teacher, Professor Huseyn Aliyev, who devoted more than 50 years to art and raised a galaxy of famous artists. The festival, which will conclude with a gala concert, also features master classes," said Fidan Hajiyeva.

She underlined that opera art has been developing for more than four centuries.

"Various difficulties arose more than once on his path, eras, aesthetic attitudes, tastes changed, and opera changed along with them. But what remains unchanged is that classical opera is the most effective art, embracing eternal values and at the same time influencing all the beautiful feelings of a person. More than ever, modern life needs precisely this kind of art," she said.

"The festival will be held every two years, and in the future, we would like to implement international projects abroad with our young talents. The new director of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Yusif Eyvazov, has brought new breath to our sphere, and famous artists will come to Azerbaijan, new performances will be staged, and projects will be implemented. I am sure that Baku will become one of the world's opera centres," Fidan Hajiyeva added.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az, Turkic.World.