Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall facts for kids
| Müslüm Maqomayev adına Azərbaycan Dövlət Akademik Filarmoniyası | |
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| Location | Baku, Azerbaijan |
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| Coordinates | 40°21′59″N 49°50′06″E / 40.3664°N 49.8350°E |
| Capacity | 1,100 (Summer Hall) 610 (Winter Hall) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1910–1912 |
| Opened | 1912 27 January 2004 |
| Renovated | 1937, November 2002–2004 |
| Closed | 1995 |
| Architect | Gabriel Ter-Mikelov |
The Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall (Azerbaijani: Müslüm Maqomayev adına Azərbaycan Dövlət Akademik Filarmoniyası) is a famous concert hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was built in 1910 and is a very important place for music in the country. Since 2006, Murad Adigozalzade has been its director.
A Look Back: The Hall's History
The Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall was built between 1910 and 1912. Rich people in the city wanted a special place for gatherings. The architect, Gabriel Ter-Mikelov, designed it beautifully. The outside looks like Italian Renaissance style, and the inside is like German Rococo. Its design was inspired by the famous Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco.
At first, it was a club for wealthy people in Baku. They used it for parties and fun events. It was called the Summer Center for Public Gatherings. During the Russian Civil War, it became a place for public meetings.
From 1918 to 1920, the first parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic held its meetings here. This shows how important the building was.
In 1936, the club changed its purpose. It became the home of the Philharmonic society. This group wanted to share Azerbaijani classical and folk music with more people. The building was fixed up in 1936-1937. On August 11, 1937, it was named after the famous composer Muslim Magomayev.
In 1995, the hall closed for a long time, more than eight years. It needed another big renovation. Many people in Baku were unhappy because the work took so long. The Minister of Culture explained that water under the ground had damaged the building's foundation. The repairs finally started again because of a special order from President Heydar Aliyev. The newly fixed hall opened on January 27, 2004. Many important people came to the opening, including President Ilham Aliyev and the famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.
Since 2007, the Mstislav Rostropovich Baku International Festival has been held here every December. This music festival started after a special event in 2006. That event celebrated the 100th birthday of composer Dmitri Shostakovich.
What's Inside the Hall?
The main building has two big halls. The Summer Hall can hold 1,100 people, and the Winter Hall can hold 610 people. They share one stage. Many talented music groups perform here, including:
- The Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra
- The Azerbaijan State Choir Capella
- The Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra
- The Azerbaijan State Piano Trio
- The Azerbaijan State String Quartet
- The Azerbaijan State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble
- The Azerbaijan State Orchestra of Folk Instruments
The Beautiful Garden
Right next to the Philharmonic Hall is a lovely garden. It's sometimes called Governor's Park. This garden was first created in 1830 near the Baku fortress. It grew bigger between 1860 and 1870. It was first named Mikhaelovsky Garden. In the early 1900s, there were plans to build a concert hall in the park. But people didn't want the trees to be cut down, so a summer pavilion was built instead. The park was updated in the 1970s and again in 2007.
See also
In Spanish: Filarmónica Estatal de Azerbaiyán para niños
- List of concert halls
