Austria hosts “rendezvous” marking centennial of Azerbaijani artist

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

A concert marking the 100th jubilee of Azerbaijani singer Rashid Behbudov has been held in Vienna, Austria.

The event brought together representatives of diplomatic corps accredited in Vienna, as well as compatriots and the media.

Head of Azerbaijani Culture Centre Leyla Gasimova, addressed the event, highlighting the life and activity of the eminent singer.

She said Behbudov was one of the great persons of the country`s cultural history.

A star and a legend of the 1960s, Behbudov was a bright extraordinary personality and the greatest musical talent of his century. He is one of the founders of pop music in Azerbaijan.

During the event, tenor and soloist of “La Scala” Academy Azar Rzazade performed songs from repertoire of Rashid Behbudov as well as pieces by the Azerbaijani and European composers.

Rashid Behbudov was an Azerbaijani singer and actor. A natural-born singer with a voice that can only be described as a gift from the Heavens, Rashid Behbudov remains an incredible and rare talent. His voice pierces through the heart to unlock emotions and sentiments of intense power, and yet this artist shows acute vulnerability.

He was also a talented actor and brilliantly starred in many films. For instance, "Arshin Mal Alan", a national film where he played the lead role, was quite successful in many countries and won the hearts of millions.

In due time people even joked that "Arshin Mal Alan" brought more profit to the country than Baku’s oil. Under the influence of his songs and soft voice, USSR’s politicians like Khrushchev and Brezhnev were reduced to tears.

Behbudov's rare vocal talent gave him opportunity to travel beyond the "Iron Curtain" of the Soviet Union, and as a singer he toured with concert performances in several countries of the world, including Iran, Turkey, China, India, Japan, Argentina, and many other countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.