The main figure of the ethnic music concert at the Diaghilev Festival 2025 will be Naseer Shamma — a brilliant master of the classical Arabic oud. One of the most renowned solo oud performers in the world, Shamma was born, educated, and became famous in Iraq, but has long been a true "citizen of the world." He freely crosses borders — both geographical and stylistic.

In his compositions, Shamma brings together classical Arabic traditions with the harmonies and rhythms of Spanish folk music and European classical music. His poetic pieces, often inspired by Sufi ideas, are full of thematic contrasts and incredible virtuosity. Expanding the technical possibilities of the oud, he has developed a new type of instrument with additional strings.

Naseer Shamma actively performs around the world — in major concert halls across Asia, Europe, and North America — both solo and with various ensembles, from small groups to full-scale Arabic orchestras. He has received more than 70 prestigious awards. In 1999, he founded the Bayt al-Oud al-Arabi ("House of Arabic Oud") in Cairo — the first school fully dedicated to the oud as a solo instrument. Today, the school has branches in Abu Dhabi, Alexandria, Baghdad, Khartoum, Riyadh, and Mosul.

Shamma is also deeply involved in humanitarian work. He is a UNESCO Artist for Peace, a Goodwill Ambassador for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and, since 2023, a WHO Health Champion.

At Diaghilev House, Naseer Shamma will perform his own compositions: A World without Fear, Ishraq, From Assyria to Seville, Departing Moon (also known as The Moon Fades), and Garcia Lorca.

The concert-performance Esperia, featuring the musicAeterna choir, orchestra soloists, and dance company under the direction of Teodor Currentzis, continues a long-standing tradition of the Diaghilev Festival: the program will remain a mystery until the end of the evening.

This concept of “pure perception” — where the audience experiences the performance without prior knowledge — is especially important for this piece. Esperia is a kind of modern mystery play, touching the deepest human emotions and hopes through sacred music from different styles and eras, subtle choreography, and carefully crafted lighting.

The concert-performance Esperia, featuring the musicAeterna choir, orchestra soloists, and dance company under the direction of Teodor Currentzis, continues a long-standing tradition of the Diaghilev Festival: the program will remain a mystery until the end of the evening.

This concept of “pure perception” — where the audience experiences the performance without prior knowledge — is especially important for this piece. Esperia is a kind of modern mystery play, touching the deepest human emotions and hopes through sacred music from different styles and eras, subtle choreography, and carefully crafted lighting.