Grand Concert "Two States – One Stage" Dedicated to Uzeyir Hajibeyli Held in Ankara

ANKARA, September 21, 2026 — The opening of the prestigious "Kültür Yolu" (Cultural Road) Festival in the capital of Turkey was marked by a spectacular cultural event. This year, the festival’s launch was entirely dedicated to the memory of the genius Azerbaijani composer and the pioneer of professional Azerbaijani classical music, Uzeyir Hajibeyli.

A magnificent concert titled "Two States – One Stage: Brotherly Melodies" took place at the prestigious CSO Ada Ankara Main Hall. The grand event was organized through a joint initiative of the Azerbaijani Cultural Center under the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Turkey and the Directorate General of State Opera and Ballet of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, with official backing from the ministries of culture of both nations.

The concert, scheduled around National Music Day in Azerbaijan, brought top-tier opera vocalists from both brotherly nations together onto a single stage. The project aimed to widely promote Hajibeyli’s vast artistic heritage within Turkey and strengthen the shared cultural and spiritual values of the Turkic world on an international level.

Distinguished Dignitaries in Attendance:
The high-profile event attracted a large audience of officials and diplomats, including:

Farid Jafarov, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

Serdar Çam, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey;

Rashad Aslanov, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Turkey;

Foreign diplomats accredited to Ankara, state officials, representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora, and art critics.

In the opening remarks, speakers highlighted Hajibeyli’s role as the creator of the very first opera in the Muslim East, noting his unique ability to masterfully merge European classical forms with eastern traditional motifs.

The Ankara State Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Chorus were masterfully led by the People's Artist of Azerbaijan, Maestro Yalchin Adigezalov. The evening featured standout performances of Hajibeyli's masterpieces alongside classical tracks by Turkish and Azerbaijani composers, delivered by soloists Mara Huseynova, Mahir Tagizade, Mehmet Yılmaz, Şenol Tanınlı, Ezgi Karakaya, and Tar virtuoso Mirnofal Huseynov.

The concert concluded with resounding applause from the audience, highlighting the deep cultural unity shared by Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Media Contact:
Azerbaijani Cultural Center under the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Turkey
📍 Oran, Diplomatik site, Bakü sokak No.1, Çankaya-Ankara
📧 azculture.tr@gmail.com