March
 Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
 Russian Dance (Trepak)
 Arabian Dance
 Chinese Dance
 Dance of the Reed Flutes
 Waltz of the Flowers

 

Music: Ottorino Respighi
Pini di Roma

 

The above information, including performance times, lineups, programmes and ticket prices, are all subject to change without prior notice and for reference only.

 

Conductor: Ayyub Guliyev
Ayyub Guliyev has held the position of the Principal Conductor at the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre since 2011. He is a winner of the Arturo Toscanini International Competition of Conductors in Parma, Italy and has also won first prizes at the Witold Lutosławski Competition for Young Conductors in Bialystok and the Mitropoulos International Conducting Competition in Athens.

 

The most recent and upcoming engagements include his return to China National Ballet, Mariinsky Theatre, Turandot at The International Opera and Ballet Festival “Maria Biesu”, Grand Finale Gala concert at Immling Festival, International Glinka Competition of Vocalists Gala Concert with Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, concert with Berlin Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, among others. He will conduct the world premiere of Hajibeyov's Firuza, Jahangirov's Tale of singer, Hajibeyli’s Leyli and Madjnun, Il Trovatore, La boheme, as well as ballet productions, such as Love and Death, Nasimi, Arabian Nights (all in Baku).

 

Highlights of the 2024/25 season include the tour with the Mariinsky Theatre ballet One Thousand and One Nights in China, conducting the orchestra of the China National Ballet at BPAC hall in Beijing and at the Royal Opera House of Muscat in Oman, collaboration with Orquestra Sinfonica do Teatro Nacional Claudio Santoro and Orquestra Simfônica do Theatro da Paz in Belém, Brazil, tour with the ballet of Tatar State Opera and the Ballet Theatre in China, symphonic concert in the frame of the Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival with the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra.

 

During the 2023/24 season, Guliyev conducted the Mariinsky Theatre ballet One Thousand and One Nights in St. Petersburg, on tour in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theatre and on tour in Qatar. He led Don Giovanni at the Latvian National Opera, Tosca and Turandot at the Kazan Opera, performed various programs with the Moscow Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra in Moscow and on tour in China, with the St. Petersburg Symphony orchestra, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and the Georgia State Chamber Orchestra.

 

Artist: Tamilla Ahadova
Born on December 29th, 1995, in Baku, Tamilla Ahadova is an accomplished composer and pianist with a distinguished musical career. She began her formal training at the Bulbul Secondary Music School (2002–2013), specializing in piano and composition, and graduated with honors. She continued her education at the Baku Music Academy, earning both her Bachelor’s (2013–2017) and Master’s (2017–2019) degrees in composition under the tutelage of renowned composer Arif Malikov, graduating with Red Diplomas (highest honors).

 

Ahadova has garnered numerous accolades, including:
2008 – Winner, Republican Pianists Competition
2009 – Laureate, Kovkeb Safaralieva Contest
2013 – Winner, Haydn Piano Works Competition
2017 – Winner, Romance Composition Competition
2020 – Grand Prix, Caspi Art Contest (Turkey)
2020 – Winner, ONE World Competition (USA, Boston)
2025 – Grand Prix, Andantino International Competition (Germany)

Her works have been performed internationally, including:
2013 – Variations for Piano & Orchestra with the Azerbaijani State Chamber Orchestra
2017 – Symphony with the Uzeir Hajibayli State Symphony Orchestra
2019 & 2023 – Performances of her Piano Concerto with the same orchestra
2020 – Without You premiered in New York
2024 – Piano Concerto premiered at the Saint Petersburg State Capella
2024 – Commissioned 11 original works for the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Foundation (Abu Dhabi)

 

Presenter: National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra
The National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra was established in 1959 and is affiliated with the National Ballet of China. The music director is ZHANG Yi. Chief conductor is HUANG Yi. Permanent conductor is LIU Ju. All members are graduates of higher music institutions who have received rigorous professional training and have great musical proficiency. Some senior talents have studied abroad in professional colleges and universities. In recent years, the overall artistic level of the orchestra has rapidly improved, which has attracted much attention from the industry and is praised as the most vigorous and promising national symphony orchestra in the Chinese music circles.

 

The National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra has set its own banner in China and enjoys a high reputation internationally. In addition to being responsible for the music accompaniment in the ballet performances of National Ballet of China, the orchestra has also undertaken numerous accompaniment tasks for internationally renowned ballet ensembles and opera houses visiting China, such as the Opéra de Paris, British Royal Opera House, Mariinsky Theatre, Bolshoi Theatre, and ballet ensembles from Germany, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Sweden and other countries and regions.

 

In recent years, under the leadership of director FENG Ying and music director ZHANG Yi, the orchestra has expanded its performance of symphonic concerts, while performing excellent works that appeal to all of different eras, styles, and forms at the NCPA Concert Hall and grand theatres across China. The works include classical romantic works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann; modern classics by Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Richard Strauss, Mahler, and Bernstein; the Russian Legion consisting of Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov, Moussorgsky, Shostakovich, and Kabalevsky wouldn’t be absent. It is also worth mentioning that a series of outstanding new works by outstanding local young composers have been premiered in cooperation with the NCPA. The cooperation with internationally famous artists stands of great significance to progress of the orchestra，such as domestic conductors TAN Lihua, ZHANG Guoyong, YANG Yang, LIN Daye, XIA Xiaotang, YUAN Ding, as well as German conductor, music director of MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, music director of Sapporo Symphony Orchestra，Max Pommer, tenor Carreras, Japanese animation music master Joe Hisaishi, pianists LANG Lang, CHEN Sa, TAN Xiaotang, violinist LÜ Siqing, HUANG Bin, NING Feng, HUANG Mengla, ZHU Dan, WANG Zhijiong, cellist Gustaf Ravennius and QIN Liwei.

 

In 2014, to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the founding of National Ballet of China, National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra produced a set of 8 CDs live concert albums, and industry insiders gave a high evaluation of the artistic level of the albums. In 2015, the orchestra participated in important international political activities of “Permanent Five” at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. This was not only its first independent show on the international stage, but also became a highlight in the history of the orchestra.

 

With development of the orchestra, increasing the intensity of “bring in and go global" strategy has become the focus of its future development. More outstanding artists have cooperated with the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra, and the orchestra also introduces itself to more audiences outside Beijing in various forms. With deepening progress of the reform of China's literary and artistic undertakings, it should become a unique and irreplaceable force on the art stage of Beijing in the future.