The operetta ‘Khorus Zari, Pirhan Pari’ is to be performed on the occasion of National Children’s Day (October 8) and 475 children and adolescent musicians and singers will stage Ahmad Shamlou’s famous work but in a ‘modern setting’.
Nasser Nazar, composer and conductor of the performance, speaking at a press conference said for over 15 years “we have organized various musical events on children’s day. To add variety, this year it was decided to perform a musical concert. Our opera, ‘Mani and Mana’, performed for the first time in 2012 was warmly received by the audience,” he said quoted by Mehr News Agency.
‘Mani and Mana’ was a stepping-stone for such opera performances, which seemed impossible at one time, Nazar stressed.
‘Khorus Zari, Pirhan Pari’ project was started 14 years ago but came to a halt after author Shamlou passed away in July 2000. “With the permission of Aida Sarkisian, Shamlou’s wife, we restarted the project in a new form and orchestration to suit the National Children’s Day program,” he explained.
The operetta is performed completely by children except for the huge musical instruments to be played by adults.
Amateur Pupils
In addition to the operetta, ‘Water, Air, Earth, and Fire’ and ‘The Ugly Dummy’ are other pieces that will be staged.
Mandana Karimi, director of ‘Khorus Zari, Pirhan Pari’ said: “To perform the story on stage I adapted it to a play, so apart from being dramatized, it suits today’s mood and audience.”
Except for the puppeteers, all children performing in the operetta are amateur art pupils from the Pars Art Institute.
Afshari, the executive producer said that the program will be performed in three parts including an orchestra of percussion instruments, music and movement and the operetta with 475 young artists, a record for Vahdat Hall to host such a huge number of performers in a 2-hour program.
Pars Music Group will perform the music composition of Nazar under Mandana Karimi’s direction. The performance is due on October 3, 4, and 5 from 4:00pm to 6:30 pm.
Ahmad Shamlou (1925–2000), also known by his pen name A. Bamdad was a Persian poet, writer, translator, researcher, and journalist. He was one of the most influential faces in Iran’s modern poetry, which was initially influenced by Nima Youshij’s new tradition. His thirteen-volume ‘Ketab-e Koucheh’ (The Book of Alley) is a major contribution in understanding Iranian folklore and language.
