On 4 April, the International Ballet Festival opened on the stage of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre named after Alisher Navoi. The opening performance was the ballet Lazgi: Dance of Soul and Love, presented by the National Ballet of Uzbekistan — a production inspired by the ancient Khorezmian dance, which is included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The evening marked a vibrant beginning to the festival. Lazgi conveyed the mood, energy, and depth of national culture, setting a distinctive tone for the rest of the festival.