The Iranian National Orchestra, conducted by Homayoun Rahimiian and featuring vocalist Mojtaba Asghari, has commenced the Cultural Week of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Russia. The opening took place on Monday evening at the historic Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
This performance presented Iranian music on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, one of Russia's most renowned cultural centers. The event was attended by Seyed Abbas Salehi, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran; Kazem Jalali, the Iranian Ambassador to Russia; Olga Lyubimova, the Russian Minister of Culture; as well as artists, cultural figures, and the Russian public.
The concert showcased a combination of Iranian compositions with a piece from the Russian classical repertoire, creating a musical dialogue between the traditions of the two countries. The program began with the work 'Adam,' composed by Fardin Khalatbari with lyrics by Afshin Jadollahi.
This was followed by the performance of 'Naghmegar-e Eshq' by Ali Jafarian with lyrics by Bijan Taraghi. Subsequently, the orchestra presented 'Concerto for Tar and Orchestra' by Behzad Abdi, which allowed for the presentation of the characteristic sound of the Iranian tar in an orchestral setting. The program continued with the performance of 'Chelleh-e Eshq,' another joint work by Khalatbari and Jadollahi.
Later, the program included the performance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake,' adding a familiar piece from Russia's classical musical heritage. The concert concluded with the performance of 'Iran-e Ostovar' ('Strong Iran'), written by Rahimiian with lyrics by Hassan Rahimi, lending a distinctly national flavor to the closing part of the performance.
Asghari's vocal performance was another key element of the concert, complementing the orchestra's work and presenting the Moscow audience with an important dimension of Iran's traditional and modern musical expression.
A broader cultural program is taking place in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and Astrakhan, bringing together 168 Iranian artists and cultural figures. These events cover areas such as music, fine arts, crafts, theater, cinema, animation, video games, literature, and manuscripts. The Iranian National Orchestra has also scheduled performances in other Russian cities as part of this program, including Kazan, to expand the musical component of Iranian cultural events in a major Russian city.