The dervish asks. Attending birds include the Hoopoe, the Finch, the Parrot, the Partridge, the Falcon, the Francolin, the Nightingale, the Peacock, the Cock pheasant, the Pigeon, the Turtle-Dove, the Hawk, and the Goldfinch. The Conference of the Birds Youwillbeourguide:ItwasonyouKingSolomonreliedTocarrysecretmessagesbetweenHiscourtanddistantShebaslovelyqueen.Heknewyourlanguageandyouknewhisheart. This includes two weekends with the composer and choreographer, and five days to rehearse with principals. Iranian Hotline is a non-religious and non-political Iranian-American Resource Guide. Norton.) Fahad Siadat is an advocate of innovative and adventurous music and approaches this advocacy as a performer, composer, conductor and entrepreneur. Dentists - www.IranianAmericanDentists.com, Attorneys - www.IranianAmericanAttorneys.com. Farhang Foundation is a member-supported, non-religious, non-political, not-for-profit organization established in 2008 to celebrate and promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of the community-at-large. Fahad is artistic director of HEX Vocal Ensemble and is co-artistic director of The Resonance Collective. He creates meditative solo pieces and interdisciplinary storytelling works, folding together words, sound, and movement into ritualistic narratives. HEX is committed to performing works that reimagine the expressive potential of the human voice and reframing the expressive possibilities of the human voice. But even if all those reflections were of iron, the hardest of metals, you could still shatter them back into water drops. We are the birds in the story. Fahad Siadat is an advocate of innovative and adventurous music and approaches this advocacy as a performer, composer, conductor and entrepreneur. The result is a landscape of visceral movement and sound outside of any one cultural tradition, creating a poignant and relatable experience through the human body and voice. He has performed as soloist with LAs groundbreaking opera company The Industry, PARTCH, and the Twilight Orchestra. The result is an engaging and soul-lifting spiritual journey that not only illustrates the core tenets of the Sufi mystical path but also metaphorically addresses our 21st century spiritual and environmental woes. Librettist Sholeh Wolp offers seminars on poetry and translation, Iranian art and diaspora, and the life of Attar. The human soul is genderless, and I have respected that in my translation. Through The Conference of the Birds, Attar gave us a road map, laying out the journey to that ultimate communion with joy, reverence, and humor, simultaneously conveying the necessity and gravity of the endeavor. Saturday June 18, 2022 Farhang Foundation and The Broad Stage Present: THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS, World Premiere . Download 2019-2021 Annual Report (21MB PDF), We are no longer accepting registrations for this event, Terms of Use, Disclaimers and Privacy Policy. Jahangir Period | Chazen Museum of Art Presently she is the Author-in-Residence at UCI. Attar's CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS - World Premiere at The - We curate exceptional music from traditions around the world through the Golden Thread Concert Series. Norton.) Never did it feel like now we listen to singers and now we watch dancers. Anne Harley, Fahad Siadat, Amanda Achen, Molly Pease, Saunder Choi, David Conley, Paul Chwe Minchul An, James Hayden, Director and choreographer Andr Megerdichian. You can also subscribe to our Telegram Channel. The foundation works in three ways to achieve its goals: Download 2019-2021 Annual Report (21MB PDF). Each twilight the sun travels, sword in hand,chopping off heads and filling the skysinverted bowl with blood.Whether you are a sinner or a saint,youre just a drop of water mixed with dust. where began teaching at California State University, Long Beach as a part time faculty member. If you missed the Iranian Studies Initiative Conference, watch the morning and afternoon panels featuring participants Amy Malek, Nasrin Rahimieh, Kurosh ValaNejad . If you are interested in joining our efforts, here are some of the ways in which you can help: Terms of Use, Disclaimers and Privacy Policy. They are also the individuals who will later be our cultural ambassadors to the community-at-large. Andr Megerdichian has worked with such companies and choreographers as the Limn Dance Company, Dance Kaleidoscope, the Mary Anthony Dance Theatre, Janis Brenner and Dancers, Sen Curran, and Daniel Charon. 22 were here. Sufi mystic poet Rumi considered Attar his master, calling him the spirit and himself its shadow. He wrote: Attar traveled through all the seven cities of love While I am only at the bend of the first alley. His music has been performed in Europe, China, and across the United States. Your membership supports Farhangs mission to celebrate and promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of the community at large. Rise above this greed;The Simorgh is the only jewel you need.. Browse all of our departments, programs, centers, and institutes, Political Science and International Relations, Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life, Center for Islamic Thought, Culture and Practice, Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies, Huntington-USC Institute on California and The West, Max Kade Institute for Austrian-German-Swiss Studies, Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture, USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Institute, Alice, George and Harold Kachigian Center for Active Learning in International Studies, Center on Science, Technology and Public Life, USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Dana and David Dornsife Cognitive Neuroimaging Center, New Microbes For New Beneficial Natural Products, Agilent Center of Excellence in Biomolecular Characterization, Center for Peptide and Protein Engineering, Center for Quantum Information and Science Technology, Center of Excellence in Molecular Characterization, Core Center of Excellence in Nano Imaging. The oratorio is composed by Fahad Siadat with a libretto by Sholeh Wolp and directed/choreographed by Andr Megerdichian. Special kudos must be given to Siadat who took his chorus of singers and composed a symphony without any other musical instruments. Voice Festival, a week long celebration of the human voice with a focus on redefining the oratorio as a modern sacred storytelling form, holistic contemporary vocal performance, and compositional techniques. In 2015, Farhang Foundation and the University of California, Irvine (UCI) launched the first ever Persian Studies minor program in the School of Humanities. Amidst the many influences and cultural legacies that Iran has bestowed upon the world, the fascinating mythical bird, Simurgh is one. We are always looking to expand the Farhang Foundation family. Its a feeling that sits deep within us, a knowing that we are not just connected to each other, but to something that holds us all. Founded in 2009, the Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival has quickly become a leading festival dedicated to celebrating Iranian heritage through short film, video and animation. The Conference of the Birds Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary To the Partridge, The Hoopoe tells the story of Solomons ring. A series of compelling lectures in conjunction with the historic PERSIA: ANCIENT IRAN AND THE CLASSICAL WORLD exhibition by the Getty Villa Musuem. He has conducted choirs at Columbia University, CalArts, and Chaffey College. If you are going to let them cut my head off without showing any pity, why then did you smile at me when I first saw you pass by? Like the birds of this story, we may take flight together, but the journey itself will be different for each of us. Beyond the laboratories, research centers and classrooms, USC Dornsife serves as a dynamic intellectual resource that is woven into the fabric of our communities. Thats why our mission at Farhang Foundation is to celebrate and promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of the community-at-large. Only thirty birds make it to the abode of Simorgh. Ive lived long and while alive I was not able to find myself; how then can you find me in death? Of the forty works bearing Attars name, approximately seven are verifiably his, including The Conference of the Birds, which he completed around 1187 CE when he was about forty years old. Her awards include a PEN Heim, Midwest Book Award, and Lois Roth Persian Translation prize; and her plays have been finalists or semi-finalists at Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Eugene ONeill National Playwrights Conference, Centenary Stage Women Playwrights, and Ashland New Plays Festival. An assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina and Co-Artistic Director of The Resonance Collective, his work is rooted in the humanistic, highly physical, explorations of modern dance traditions while exploring the diverse tensions and curiosities of today. This model includes the following budget: This model is for presenters interested in bringing the entire original cast to their venue. Named a 2020-2021 Cultural Trailblazer by the City of Los Angeles, Sholehs literary work numbers over twelve books and several plays. You who love only the face and form,dont be so coy in loves grace. His work is rooted in the deeply humanistic, highly physical, explorations of modern dance traditions while exploring the diverse multitude of tensions and curiosities of today. After addressing all their concerns and fears, the Hoopoe describes in great detail, and beautiful language, the seven valleys they must cross in order to reach the court of the great Simorgh: 1. These stories have references to history, and even folklore. On May 7, 2018, Farhang Foundation announced a historic gift of $1million dollars to the UCLA Herb Albert School ofMusic to launch the first Iranian Music Degree program outside of Iran. For more information on Jeff Slayton please visit jeffslayton.org, Your email address will not be published. It evolves as we evolve. Cast members can be heard on major motion picture soundtracks, choral and solo albums, and performing in music venues around the globe including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City Musical Hall, Tokyo Garden Theatre, Banff Center for the Arts, and the Hollywood Bowl. There are waves. By sponsoring art and cultural events such as Nowruz and Mehregan, art shows, musical performances, plays, dances, films, and poetry readings. Download 2019-2021 Annual Report (21MB PDF), We are no longer accepting registrations for this event, Terms of Use, Disclaimers and Privacy Policy. The poem begins with an elaborate welcome of each bird, highlighting their achievements and flaws. Copyright 2023 University of Southern California. He has appeared as soloist with LAs groundbreaking opera company The Industry, and the Grammy Award-Winning PARTCH and is regularly commissioned to write for concert music ensembles, dance companies, and theater troupes including: Cor Cantiamo, Theater Dybbuk, Rosanna Gamson Dance, Monmouth University, Jacksonville Dance Theater, the California EAR Unit, and the TOCCATA Orchestra. Thank you for staying with us! Website: sholehwolpe.com. Norton.) These are the custodians of one of the richest cultures in the world and benefit from learning more about their art and culture. at 7:30 pm. This united response is a sign of humanitys awakening to an unprecedented milestone which the 12th century Iranian Sufi mystic poet Attar calls the power of unity in diversity.. Through the ring, Solomon is believed to have commanded power over the earth, demons, and could converse with animals. Highlights. About - Farhang Choreographer Megerdichian seamlessly wove the singers, who also moved and danced, and the two beautiful dancers, Catalina Jackson-Uruea, and Tippy Dringman through all twelve sections of the 60 minute work. If you are a fan of allegories, symbolism, and witty humour, the Conference of the Birds is a must-read. Persian Language & Culture After-School Program, byFarhang Foundation,In collaboration with: CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS,BEYOND THE BELL, LAUSD, and STAR EDUCATION. Take a look at this painting perhaps you can spot them! Learn More Farhang Short Film Festival I dont believe it is possible to transfer thousands of rhyming couplets in twelfth-century Persian into formal rhyming verse in English without sacrificing a great deal of what makes the original work beautiful, moving, comprehensible, funny, and wise. With full support from USC, Farhang Foundation spearheaded this initiative with one goal in mind: to create a thriving and comprehensive Iranian Studies program at USC. The Hoopoe reminds the Partridge that even with all that power, nobody remains on earth for eternity. Farhang Connect: Attar, The Unending Thirst - YouTube Areas of Focus Constituencies Trustees, Council Members, Advisors & Supporters All Rights Reserved. The World Stage Premiere of Attar's CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS - June 18-19, 2022 - The Broad Stage This world premiere, semi-staged oratorio is based on Sufi mystic poet Attar's seminal text about the journey of the soul as it seeks union with the Divine. Founded in 2003, WWB seeks to expand cultural understanding by giving readers unparalleled access to contemporary world literature in English translation while providing a vital platform for todays international writers. The story of The Conference of the Birds is as follows: The birds of the world gather and acknowledge the Great Simorgh as their Sovereign. Persian Language Online is a free online resource supported by Farhang Foundation. All quotes are fromThe Conference of the Birds, by Attar, translated by Sholeh Wolp (W. W. Norton & Co, 2017). As the Co-Founder and Director of New Works for the Resonance Collective he is deeply drawn to creating interdisciplinary, collaborative works driven by narratives of transformation and discovery. When that droplet first appears, it is replete with reflections. The soloists are members of HEX, LA's premiere new music vocal sextet. He holds a BFA from Butler University and MFA from the California Institute of the Arts. They eventually come to understand that the majesty of that Beloved is like the sun that can be seen reflected in a mirror. And so, through the voice of the Hoopoe, Attar implores his readers to undertake this fascinating journey. Information about Attars life is scarce and has been mythologized over the centuries. Here, what is assumed to be reality vanishes. All of us have our own ideas and ideals, our own fears and anxieties, as we hold on to our own version of the truth. THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS - Oratorio | BroadStage, Santa Monica, CA | June 18 to June 19 THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS - Oratorio Schedule Sat Jun 18 2022 at 07:30 pm to Sun Jun 19 2022 at 02:00 pm Location BroadStage | Santa Monica, CA Advertisement Farhang Foundation and The Broad Stage Present: THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS World Premiere! The libretto is drawn from Sufi mystic poet Attar's seminal text about . Virtual Google Arts and Culture exhibitions in conjunction with the historic PERSIA: ANCIENT IRAN AND THE CLASSICAL WORLD exhibition by the Getty Villa Musuem. Your love for the rose leaves youtorn and frayed by its thorns.You are debased by itas much as you are obsessed by it.Yes, for now the face of a rose is beautiful,but give it a week and look again. According to twelfth-century Iranian Sufi mystic poet Attar, it is not the world that needs saving, rather it is we who are in dire need of rescuefrom the . In the end the princesss servants decide to do away with the dervish. While it is a beautiful way to introduce Sufi thought and teachings, it is a poem with many lessons for our times. Fahad and Andr also offer a joint seminar on composer/choreographer collaborations, as well as a studio lab for undergraduate and graduate students, leading to the creation of a newly devised music/dance piece. THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS - Oratorio | BroadStage, Santa Monica, CA 1610. The Hoopoe (King Solomons favoured bird) steps up and recommends that the birds embark on a journey to meet the Simurgh. By becoming proficient in Persian language, as well as the history, culture, and contributions of Iran, students will learn about a complex region of the world that is increasingly at the center of todays political climate and international affairs, as well as gain a competitive edge in the job market. Professor Shafiei Kadkani places Hafez, the other mystical . All of us have our own ideas and ideals, our own fears and anxieties, as we hold on to our own version of the truth. In 1978 he moved to Long Beach, CA. The Nightingale refuses to undertake the journey on account of the deep love he shares with the rose. Conference of the Birds: a Sufi poem for our times - The Heritage Lab Only 30 birds survive this journey and whey they finally reach their destination they are faced with a mirror that reflects back their own images and understand that the sovereign they seek has always been within themselves. As the birds are introduced, you realise that each one of them represents a human flaw that prevents us from attaining enlightenment. two performances. In addition to the Persian minor, the Farhang Foundation has funded a signature conference series called the Mehregan Conference, which brings noted scholars and performers to campus for events that are free and open to the public. Mission To celebrate and to promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of the community-at-large. The celebration of Shab-e Yalda (winter solstice) is an evening dedicated to poetry, music and storytelling. With these words, the Hoopoe encouraged the Peacock, to look at the bigger picture and aspire for the higher goals; explaining that the quest for ultimate wisdom must not be limited by oneself or the system! Valley of Detachment, where all desires and attachments to the world are given up. The Hoopoe reminds us that life is short, and if not now, then when? Those who are trapped within their own dogma, clinging to hardened beliefs or faith, are deprived of the journey toward the unfathomable Divine, which Attar calls the Great Ocean." Buck; Costume Design: Kate Poppen; Stage Manager: Anna Klevit; and Rehearsal Director Jennifer Deckert. Farhang Foundation hosts events throughout Southern California to mark this joyous occasion by providing diverse family-oriented cultural programming, concerts, traditional music, dancers, cuisine, and more. Therefore, I have dispensed with rhyme. It evolves as we evolve. The Hoopoe plays a central role in the poem as a spiritual guide and leader of the pilgrim-birds. > "Conference of the Birds" - Sholeh Wolp, Librettist - Photo by Vafa Khatami This is not a spiritual teaching that is shared by many eastern religions. Sana'i Ghaznavi, who for the first time, exerted love poetry to beings beyond human material affections, and Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi, Mowlawi (Rumi) are considered to be the other two. of Arkansas Press) have garnered awards and established Sholeh as a celebrated re-creator of Persian poetry. Those for the dancers, however, were lovely. PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH . Poet-in Residence at University of California, Irvine, Farhang FoundationContributors LEARN MORE. Sung a cappella, the Librettist for Conference of the Birds was by Sholeh Wolp who translated Fard ud-Dn Attars work into English. The princess secretly summons the man and out of compassion bids him to escape. The libretto is drawn from Sufi mystic poet Attars seminal text about the journey of the soul as it seeks union with the Divine. It is intended to serve as a free-to-access, comprehensive, aid to anyone who wants to learn the Persian language. Although all paths eventually lead to the Beloved, the annihilation of the ego shortens the path to the Source. Indeed, this method of storytelling through poetry was later adopted by future master poets, namely Hafiz and Rumi. An assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina and Co-Artistic Director of The Resonance Collective, his work is rooted in the humanistic, highly physical, explorations of modern dance traditions while exploring the diverse tensions and curiosities of today. By planning and funding exhibitions with local cultural and / or academic institutions, such as LACMA, UCI, USC and UCLA. at The Broad, 221 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012 . That map is for all of us, regardless of race, color, or creed, and awaits, patiently, for us to take up the journey. Andr Megerdichian has worked with such companies as the Limn Dance Company, Dance Kaleidoscope, The Mary Anthony Dance Theatre, and Janis Brenner and Dancers, among others. When the birds hear the description of these valleys, they bow their heads in distress; some even die of fright right then and there. Farhang Foundation is a non-religious, non-political, and not-for-profit foundation (501.c.3 Tax Exempt ID: 26-1574533) established in 2008by a group of philanthropists in Southern CA. As lyricist/ librettist, Sholeh has written for international composers such as Huba de Graaf (Netherlands), Aida Shirazi (Canada), Sahba Motallebi (U.S./ Iran), Niloufar Nourbakhsh (U.S.), Sahba Aminikia (U.S./ Iran), Shawn Crouch (U.S.), and Chris Gordon (U.S.), Fahad Siadat (U.S), Ramin Amin Tafreshi (Netherlands), among others. The Farhang Foundation. Composer: Fahad Siadat; poet/LIBRETTIS: Sholeh Wolp; Original Story: Fard ud-Dn Attar; Lighting Design: R.S. It evolves as we evolve. In 2012, he founded See-A-Dot Music Publishing, a company devoted to the advocacy of adventurous choral music. Attar's The Conference of the Birds - World Stage Premiere - Facebook Her most recent book is The Conference of the Birds (W. W. Sholeh Wolps translation of AttarsThe Conference of the Birdswas published in March 2017 by W. W. Norton & Co. Sholeh will be discussing the book this Thursday, April 6 at Poets House in NYC. Copyright 2003 - 2023 Iranian Hotline, LLC . Just like the birds each of us is different, and so while it would be a flight we undertake together, our journeys to the divine would always be unique. Donatefinancially to support our programs. Required fields are marked *, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, "Conference of the Birds" - Sholeh Wolp, Librettist - Photo by Vafa Khatami, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. That summit - the U.N. Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm 50 years ago on June 5-16, 1972 - marked the first global effort to treat the environment as a worldwide policy .
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