The international festival “Night Serenades”, named after Liana Isakadze, hosted an evening of Brazilian music in the grand hall of the conservatory. The festival’s base orchestra, “Georgian Virtuosos,” along with talented Georgian musicians Lizi Ramishvili, Mariam Roinishvili, and Giorgi Oikashvili, performed lesser-known works by Brazilian composers from various eras and styles. Several original arrangements for string orchestra were created specifically for this evening, enriching the existing repertoire.
“This year’s festival is accompanied by great sadness; we said goodbye to the legendary Liana Isakadze. However, she left us a priceless legacy that will always remain with us. The next concerts of ‘Night Serenades’ will take place in Tbilisi today and will conclude on September 20 at the Tbilisi State Conservatory. We extend our gratitude to our festival supporters, without whom these concerts would not be possible, including the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Georgia, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Ajara, Tbilisi City Hall, Batumi City Hall, Borjomi City Hall, as well as the Italian, Brazilian, and Czech embassies in Georgia, the National Symphony Orchestra, and Hilton Garden Inn Tbilisi”, - said Giorgi Isakadze, artistic director of “Night Serenades”.
“For the first time, the Embassy of Brazil is participating in this wonderful festival. We are thrilled that Brazilian music is so well-received in your country. ‘Night Serenades’ will further strengthen the ties between Georgia and Brazil. Thanks to the organizers, Giorgi Isakadze and Nina Tsagareli, and to the concert participants for their extraordinary performances of Brazilian music”, - added Osvaldo Biato Jr., Ambassador of Brazil to Georgia.
“I may not have known Ms. Liana Isakadze personally, but I am delighted to have participated in a festival she founded. This is my first time involved in ‘Night Serenades,’ and I feel fortunate to perform Brazilian music. My deepest thanks go to the organizers, participants, and audience for these unforgettable emotions” – said musician Lizi Ramishvili.
This year’s festival was grandly inaugurated in Borjomi at the Borjomi Likan Hotel. On August 21, a gala concert featuring masterpieces of world cinema, works by Antonio Vivaldi, Astor Piazzolla, and songs by Revaz Lagidze and Vazha Azarashvili was held outdoors. The subsequent concerts took place at the State Drama Theater named after Ilia Chavchavadze in Batumi, featuring renowned Italian bandoneonist Mario Stefano Pietrodarki and virtuoso violinist Alvin Khoja Ganiev.
Founded by the world-renowned violinist and conductor Liana Isakadze in 1982 in the picturesque region of Abkhazia, the “Night Serenades” festival is a traditional event with the longest history in Georgia. After a hiatus due to the events of 1991, it was revived in 2002 under the name “Celebration of Art” in Borjomi and returned to Batumi in 2009 as “Night Serenades”. As of 2023, Borjomi has been added to the festival cities. This year marks the sixteenth festival since its revival, now named in honor of Liana Isakadze.