26 September 2008
Tunis — The fourth session of the Festival of spiritual music which takes place on the historic scene of the Carthage Acropolium, has revealed an artist at the height of his art, the Azeri Zabit Nabizade.
Well known in his country, where he is a professor of music in Baku's music academy, but also in the Caucasus and in Central Asia, Nabizade managed to mesmerize the audience of the Carthage Acropolium with his amazing vocal qualities.
A true master of the Azeri 'Maqam' at the crossroads between an elitist and a popular tradition, the Azeri singer allowed his audience to have a glimpse of his country's rich heritage. He also proved to be a worthy heir to the tradition launched by the likes of Alim Kassimov.
A real treat which the Carthage Acropolium audience rewarded first with silent fervour and admiration and later with a well- deserved applause.
The Azeri 'Maqam', or traditional classical music has been recently enriched with musical traditions from Turkey and Iran. It is often played and sung as part marriage ceremonies in Azerbaijan.
In 2003, the genre was recognized as "Immaterial heritage masterpiece of humanity" by UNESCO.
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