Painting: AliAkbar Sadeghi

Zahhák: Dragon King of Persia (contemporary music and dance)

Mon 28 October 2013

West Road Concert Hall

Cambridge Shahnama Centre in Association with Iran Heritage Foundation (London) present:

Zahhák: Dragon King of Persia

Prince Zahhák makes a pact with Satan to kill his father. Soon after he sits on the throne, two snakes grow out of his shoulders, where Satan had kissed. Zahhák orders to behead two young men every day to feed their brains to his snakes. He soon loses popularity and power and is consumed by fear, rage and violence. Iranians are left with a choice to live in fear or not.

World première of a new stage work by Hossein Hadisi for voices, percussion and dance. The piece celebrates the Persian minstrels' art of Naqqáli by reenacting the ancient myth of Zahhák from the Persian 'Book of Kings'. The music is performed by EXAUDI, one of Britain’s leading contemporary music ensembles, and six female dancers directed by Rick Nodine. The performance also features paintings by Iranian surrealist master Ali Akbar Sadeghi.

Director and Composer: Hossein Hadisi
Art Director, Costume and Stage Design: Pegah Salimi
Movement Director: Rick Nodine
Music Performed by Ensemble Exaudi
Ensemble Director: James Weeks
Juliet Fraser (soprano), Lucy Goddard (alto), Alastair Putt (tenor), Simon Whiteley (bass)
Dancers: Manuela Sarcone, Julie Schmidt Andreasen, Ellen Nous, Camila Gutierrez, Ffion Campbell-Davies, Mari-Halina Colbert

An Arts and Humanities Research Council and Higher Education Innovation Funding sponsored project under the Cultural Engagement Fund
Produced with the help of the Cambridge Shahnama Centre in association with Iran Heritage Foundation, UK
In media partnership with the 4th London Iranian Film Festival

Cost: £10