Arts In Brief

Turkmen vocalist to be accompanied by Azeri orchestra
Soloist of the Turkmen State Philharmonic Society Gulara Baltayeva will give a concert at the Azerbaijani Chamber Hall on February 14, accompanied by the Azerbaijani State Chamber Orchestra. The vocalist will perform works by Western European and Azerbaijani composers.

Baku hosting Iranian artists exhibition
An exhibition called Iranian motives opened at the Azerbaijani State Arts Museum on Thursday. Some 60 paintings and graphic works by Iranian artists Riza Fattahi and Kazim Xudaverdi are being displayed at the ten-day exhibition.
Speaking at the opening ceremony the Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan Ahad Qazzai stated that the undertaking aims to mark the 24th anniversary of the Iranian Islamic revolution. He went on to talk about the progress of Iranian art in the wake of the revolution. Director of the State Arts Museum, Traditional Art Professor Ibrahim Zeynalov stressed the positive impact of such events on cultural ties between the two nations.

Love Story to be staged
Two-part new mugham-based play called Love Story based on a script by Ali Aslanoglu will be staged at the Mugham Theater. The cast of the play directed by Aladdin Aliyev includes Zeynab Behbudova, Elza Qayibaliyeva, Kamala Xalilov and other well-known actors, who will perform seven Azerbaijani national mughams.
Love Story is to be presented in April 2003, theater director Arif Qaziyev has told AssA-Irada.

Azeri film to be demonstrated at int'l festival in Russia
The Azerbaijani film Tasadufi Gorus directed by Samil Aliyev will be shown at an international film festival, Zolotoy Vityaz (Golden knight) to be held late in March. At the special invitation of the festival's General Director, Valentina Stepanova, the film is to participate at a contest along with Russian and western films, Samil Aliyev has told AssA-Irada. The short film, Tasadufi Gorus, whose theme: secrets of love and death in a modern context, has already been screened at international film festivals and was awarded the bronze medal at the Flagetaff international festival in the USA in 1999.

Great composer's 85th jubilee to be celebrated
A commemorative party was held at the Azerbaijani State Opera and Ballet Theater on February 6 to mark the 85th jubilee of the distinguished Azerbaijani composer Qara Qarayev. Excerpts from his poem Leyli and Macnun, the ballets Seven Beauties and Thunderous Ways were performed at the event. Accompaniment was provided by the Azerbaijani State Symphonic Orchestra named for Uzeyir Hacibayov.
In addition, a photo-exhibition featuring the life and career of Qara Qarayev is to be displayed in the theater's lobby.

Handcraft show due
Azerbaijani artist Sugra Bagirzada is holding a personal exhibition of her work at the Azerbaijani miniature arts center. Some 30 pieces of decorative applied art are shown at the exhibition, the Artists Union has informed AssA-Irada.
Being professionally chemist, Sugra Bagirova is currently working as an actress at the Azerbaijani State Russian Drama Theater.

Baku Chamber Theater to attend another festival in Iran
The Baku Chamber Theater is attending a theater festival being held in Tehran, Iran. Five Azerbaijani actors will perform two plays Bass Viol by Patrick Zutkin and Speech by Elvin Mirzayev. The Baku Chamber Theater has become a regular participant at festivals in Iran. During their last tour to Iran the actors took part in a comedy festival held in Isfahan in December 2002.

New historical film to be presented
A film called Gullalanma taxira salinir (killing postponed) will be presented to journalists at the Azerbaijani Filmmakers Union on February 14. Directed by Alakber Muradov, the film features the life of Baku gangsters at the beginning of the last century.  Shooting started in 1994, but was delayed due to financial problems, eventually being completed last year.