The National Orchestra of Iran opened Iran Cultural Week in Russia at Moscow’s historic Bolshoi Theater on Monday evening. Conductor Homayoun Rahimian led the ensemble alongside vocalist Mojtaba Asgari during the performance. The event introduced Iranian musical compositions to one of Russia’s premier cultural venues. Senior officials attended the ceremony, including Iranian Culture Minister Seyyed Abbas Salehi and Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova. Consequently, the performance highlights expanding bilateral artistic exchanges and cultural cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.
The orchestra opened its concert program with “Adam,” featuring music composed by Fardin Khalatbari. Next, the musicians performed “Naghmegar-e Eshq,” written by Ali Jafarian with lyrics by Bijan Taraghi. The ensemble then presented Behzad Abdi’s “Concerto for Tar and Orchestra,” incorporating the traditional Iranian tar. Following this performance, the orchestra played “Chelleh-ye Eshq,” another piece composed by Khalatbari. Subsequently, the musicians performed Tchaikovsky’s classic “Swan Lake,” honoring Russia’s rich musical heritage during the event.
The inaugural concert concluded with “Iran-e Ostovar,” composed by conductor Homayoun Rahimian himself. Vocalist Mojtaba Asgari delivered expressive vocal performances throughout the evening, highlighting traditional Iranian music. The gala performance launched a broader multi-city cultural festival spanning Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and Astrakhan. Overall, a delegation of 168 Iranian artists and cultural figures is participating in the nationwide program. These representatives showcase achievements across music, theater, cinema, visual arts, handicrafts, animation, and classical literature.
Following its appearance in Moscow, the National Orchestra will travel to Kazan for its next scheduled performance. Organizing committees plan to expand artistic workshops, academic exchanges, and public exhibitions throughout the week. Cultural ministers from both nations emphasized that artistic collaboration fosters mutual understanding between citizens. Moving forward, state institutions aim to establish permanent bilateral frameworks for joint cinema and music projects. Consequently, organizers expect these cultural initiatives to deepen long-term diplomatic and artistic partnerships.