TEHRAN – Iranian singer Alireza Qorbani and Azerbaijani vocalist Alim Qasimov will give a joint performance on Sunday at the Expo 2020 Dubai as part of Iran’s program for the world fair.

The concert will begin at 9 pm at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheater, Iran’s Rudaki Foundation, which is the main organizer of the performance, announced.

“The concert has been organized in line with the expo’s aim to bring the nations closer with a focus on cultural affinities between Iran and Azerbaijan,” the foundation said in a press release published on Saturday.

A repertoire of Iranian and Azerbaijani songs composed by Hessam Nasseri will be performed during the concert.

Iranian musicians Saman Samimi, Milad Mohammadi, Dara Darai, Zakaria Yusefi, Puria Sarai, Shayan Riahi and Azerbaijani kamancheh virtuoso Rauf Islamov will accompany the duo in the concert.

Qorbani and Qasimov have previously collaborated in several performances, including a concert during the 18th edition of the Konya International Mystic Music Festival in the Turkish town of Konya last September.  

Earlier in December 2020, Qorbani and Qasimov released a duet single entitled “Rababi” featuring a poem by Rumi.

The two vocalists sang both in Persian and Azerbaijani together in the song composed by Nasseri.

Qorbani has participated in several international projects in Europe such as Le Rhythm De La Parole, SOUFFLES DU MONDE, Ivresses-le Sacre de Khayyam with Tunisian singer Dorsaf Hamdani, concerts with the Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra, Kamel Orchestra Vienna and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra.

The Expo 2020 Dubai is currently being hosted by the United Arab Emirates, having started 1 October 2021 and running to 31 March 2022. Originally scheduled for October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo: A poster for a joint concert by Iranian singer Alireza Qorbani and Azerbaijani vocalist Alim Qasimov at the Expo 2020 Dubai.

MMS/YAW