Georgian music

Music has long been an integral part of Georgian culture. Its history counts thousand years. First references to the Georgian music were present even in the ancient Greek reservoirs. Archaeologists were also able to find ancient music instruments such as the Salamuri (a wind instrument), the Lyre and the Chang (a stringed instrument), which all date back to the B.C. period.

The Georgian music originally stood out with its polyphony trait. Over some time the music had evolved, thinned and had quantitatively increased. There are several Georgian songs that became famous worldwide and represented Georgian music in the best light. Such national songs include Chakruli, Lile, Khasanbegura, Mravalzhamier and Iavnana.

In 1977, the famous Chakruli song was sent into space as a sign of Georgia becoming a part of the European culture.

Being under the influence of the European opera, the Georgian music had been developing towards the European direction.

 

Georgian national dances

Georgian dances represent one of the most unforgettable insights that any person has ever seen or imagined. Such dances are rich as they have a grand history and are developing together with the Georgian culture. The Hunting Dance is one of the prior national dances, which is rich in variety and always leaves a different impression and effect on the audience.

 

Georgian dance varieties 

Atcharuli: the leading dance in Adjara, the autonomous republic that is located in the southwestern part of Georgia. Atcharuli includes shows that comprise of a variety of colorful costumes and simple movements, which make this dance attractive to all without exception. Atcharuli is considered to be a flirtatious dance as it has a sense of flirt and playfulness within it.

Kartuli: a very discreet and graceful type of dance that is present at weddings. During the dance partners do not touch each other as an indication of the rigor of morals and the sense of duty of Georgian people.

Mtiuluri: this dance embodies the courage of Georgian people. The meaning of this dance lies in the competition between men for a woman and a land territory.

SaMaia: the dance that praises the great Queen Tamara and is usually performed by three females. The Samaia dance embodies the beauty, glory and power.

In addition to the previously stated dances, the Georgian culture includes many other endless types of renowned dances such as Svanuri, Ratchuli and Khevsuruli. The main point for the visitor is to be able to see each dance with his/her own eyes in order to feel the meaning and sense of each dance, in which Georgian dancers move with the rhythm of the rousing music.

 

Georgian cinema and theatre

Theatre: The history of Georgian theatre goes far into the past, where theatrical performances were present in the B.C. period. Nowadays, such performances are changed, however certain Georgian rituals, competitions and many types of games still have the traces of ancient theatre elements.

In the medieval times, performances had radically changed and had become more sophisticated as theatres appeared in palaces. Many costumed festivals were hosted, one of which is called Berikaoba, which is still present nowadays.

The very first theatre in Georgia was established in II B.C, in the city of Uplistsikh, which is greatly admired by visitors nowadays. Later on, in the year of 1791, Giorgi Avaliashvili had found The Georgian National Theatre in Tbilisi. The Mandzhanishvili Theatre is considered to be another very famous Georgian theatre, which was found in 1928 by Kote Mardzhanishvili in the city of Kutaissi. Today, Georgia operates several theatres, which include a musical theatre, a drama theatre, a pantomime theatre, a toy and a marionette theatre.

Cinema: Georgian cinema is an essential part of the Georgian theatre. Its history began back in the 1908 in Bako, when the Georgian film director Vasili Amashukeli had decided to film his first documentary movie. Unfortunately this movie has not been preserved to our days.

The famous full-length Georgian movie Akaki Tseretli’s Journey in Ratcha-Letchkhumi belongs to Vasili Amaglobeli and was filmed in 1912. It is considered to be the very first movie in the history of Georgian cinema.

 

Art and architecture

There is not a single corner, city or village where the traces of the Georgian history are not found. Chapel ruins, churches, castles and many other historical trails are everywhere and each one of them demonstrates the difficult past of the country. Things like gold articles, manuscripts, art and architectural monuments are very well preserved in Georgian museums nowadays.

The architectural traditions of Georgia can be very well distinguished in the unique dome style of historical monuments. The Jvari monastery in Mtskheta and the Sioni monastery in Bolnisi are considered to be very unique constructions of the medieval times. During the Golden Age of Georgia (XI-XII centuries) many magnificent monasteries had appeared. They include the Bagrati, Svetitskhoveli, Gelati, Alaveri and many others.