21.01
A thunderous sound is heard and a hush falls over the audience. From the silence we hear Alim Qasimov singing an improvised mugham.
His vocal leads to rhythmic drumming and a countdown from 24 to zero.
24 is also the number of hours in a day – one full rotation of the earth. The movements of the earth, moon and sun will play a vital role in tonight’s Ceremony.
The sounds we hear are distinctively Azerbaijani, locating us on the eastern edge of Europe, on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
As the countdown nears zero, the drumming builds to a musical climax with 50 drummers. The stadium is ablaze with fireworks and nearly 1,000 female dancers fill the entire main stage with their skirts of vibrant geometric patterns and decorative motifs, taken from the country’s world-famous carpets.
