The XVII festival “Khibla Gerzmava invites ...” was held at the “Dynamo” stadium in Sukhum on October 19.
Said Bargandzhia
The XVII festival “Khibla Gerzmava invites ...” was held at the main stadium of Abkhazia, Sukhum “Dynamo”, attracting several thousand spectators.
It is to be recalled that the festival of the current year opened in March with a concert in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and was dedicated to the memory of the outstanding opera singer, People's Artist of the USSR, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater, friend and mentor of Khibla Gerzmava Zurab Sotkilava, who passed away in September 2017.
The State Symphony Orchestra of Tatarstan, the Academic Big Choir “Masters of Choral Singing” led by Lev Kontorovich, the Russian opera singer, people's artist of Bashkortostan Ildar Abdrazakov and, of course, the opera diva Khibla Gerzmava, performed to the Abkhaz audience in Sukhum on October 20.
Free and grandiose
The festival program was diverse, each issue was exclusively “voluminous”, capacious and original.
“A truly grandiose show that Sukhum will remember for a long time. Khibla Gerzmava and all the festival guests plunged us into an unusual and unforgettable world of music. Thank you for such a holiday, ” Angela Bebiya, producer of the Abkhaz television, shared her impressions of the event.
The festival “Khibla Gerzmava invites ...” has long gained regular fans from around the world. These spectators always try to come to the festival, wherever it takes place and wherever they, in turn, are located.
“Khibla Gerzmava is a living legend. When we heard that a concert would be held at the stadium in Sukhum, we packed up without hesitation and came from Krasnodar. It was especially touching that the world-famous opera diva gives free concerts [at home] for her fellow citizens. My friends and I had an incredible pleasure. Thanks a lot and a low bow,” said the singer’s fan Said Bakiyev.
Each stepping on the stage of the stars was accompanied by loud applause. The arias in the brilliant performance of Gerzmava “reached” the heart of every spectator.
“Guys, this is a delight! How quickly the concert ended! We were charged with emotions for the whole year. Thanks to dear Khibla and all the organizers for this incredible explosion of emotions,” said Miranda Ampar, a resident of Sukhum.
On who will soon shine to the whole world, and the “continuous masterpiece”
A young Abkhaz ballerina, an apprentice of the Russian Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Christina Chkotua also performed at the festival, for whom a special ballet court was built at the stadium. The girl’s performance touched many spectators.
“My heart stopped and filled with joy that we have such talented youth. I watched Christina's performance without stopping. I’m sure that soon another talent from Abkhazia will shine to the world,” said spectator Martha Vouba.
The Academic Bolshoi Choir “Masters of Choral Singing” under the direction of Lev Kontorovich presented an unexpected surprise to everyone. The choir sang the famous Abkhaz song about fortitude - “Song of the wounded”. The entire audience of the stadium “Dynamo” stood up.
“It was unforgettable and touching. I even choked up. Thanks for this surprise. In general, the whole concert is one complete musical masterpiece,” said Amina Bartsyts, a resident of Gagra, who came to Sukhum specially for the festival “Khibla Gerzmava invites ... ”.
Festival - Abkhaz “exclusive” in the world
Gerzmava and invited world stars held a press conference for journalists on the eve of the large-scale cultural event, where they spoke in detail about the current year's festival and its program.
The Minister of Culture and the Protection of the Historical and Cultural Heritage of Abkhazia Elvira Arsalia, who attended the conference, explained why the festival is so significant for Abkhazia and called it “exclusive.”
“All these years the festival has a very high mission, it has practically made Abkhaz culture a part of the world. Many thanks to Khibla for the fact that in the 2000s she had such a wonderful idea - to start this festival. The first one was held in Pitsunda, and only then - in Russia, America and many European countries. In my opinion, every Khibla Gerzmava festival is a real exclusive,” said Elvira Arsalia.
She also noted that this concert is “a real dedication to the Abkhaz audience”.
Ildar Abdrazakov, People's Artist of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan, said that he was coming to Abkhazia for the third time, having warmly thanked his “sister” Khibla Gerzmava for this.
“Thank you, Khibla, for inviting me here, because coming to this country is a great pleasure, great happiness. Here are friends, positive emotions and a great mood. There is always a mental attitude - this is thanks to my sister Khibla Gerzmava. The “Khibla Gerzmava invites ...” is a special festival,” the singer said.
Khibla Gerzmava herself noted that this year the festival even “expanded its scope”.
“This is a concert-surprise, a concert-festival, but with a very serious program, including arias from operas. I am very glad that I have friends who can support my Republic. We make the history of art of Abkhazia. Through music we want to make our country live in peace,” the singer shared.
She added that such a concert is a very serious event, in the organization of which many people are involved.
“I couldn’t do anything alone if I didn’t have such a team, and nothing would have happened if there hadn’t been a great philanthropist Nikolai Achba near us. I am very happy that there are friends like Nikolai Vladimirovich on my way,” Gerzmava said.
The music festival “Khibla Gerzmava invites ...” was founded by the famous opera singer in 2001 in Abkhazia. Since 2014, it expanded its borders and took place in Moscow in the Great Hall of the Conservatory, on the stage of the Musical Theater named after K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, in Vienna in the golden hall of the Musikverein, in Carnegie Hall, in the Swiss city of St. Moritz. During the existence of the festival, such giants of world music as Vladimir Spivakov, Elena Obraztsova, Denis Matsuev, Ildar Abdrazakov, Deborah Brown and others participated in it. The long-standing permanent leader of the concerts was art critic Svyatoslav Belza. The festival is of particular importance for all music lovers in Abkhazia: every year Khibla Gerzmava brings the best musicians and the best music programs to her homeland.
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