Vahdat Hall hosted a concert on the epic story of Siavash, a major figure in Ferdowsi’s ‘Shahnameh’ (Book of Kings).
A tribute to Ferdowsi, the concert included seven pieces, each on a part of Siavash’s life. Performed by ‘Avaye Mehrabani’ (sound of kindness) ensemble, all Iranian instruments were used in the concert. The skilled pipe player Jamshid Andalibi also appeared on stage and accompanied the ensemble after many years.
Speaking on the concert, Amir Sadeghi, director, actor and screenwriter of the work, criticized the lack of attention to Ferdowsi in art works, and said that artists should make use of the great potential of his epic work. “Unfortunately artists are ignorant of the capacities Ferdowsi’s stories and characters are capable of. We are indebted to the past and ignoring great artists is a treachery against our ancient civilization,” he said.
Salman Salek, composer of the concert, believes that poems by other prominent Persian poets like Hafez, Saadi, and Mawlana are more commonly used in music, but not Ferdowsi. “So I decided to focus on Siavash’s story in the Shahnameh which has not been worked on much.”
“Reciting Shahnameh’s poems is tough work,” vocalist Vahid Taj said. “It needs special skills to show all aspects and bring it to a climax.”
As written in the Shanameh, Siavash was a legendary Iranian prince from the earliest days of the Persian Empire. A handsome young man, his name literally means ‘the one with the black stallion’.
Siavash is the symbol of innocence in Iranian literature. His defense of his own chastity, self-imposed exile, loyalty to his wife, and ultimate execution at the hands of his adopted host have become intertwined with Iranian mythology and literature over the past millennia.
