Dallas-based choir Verdigris Ensemble is in its sixth season and has announced its latest collaboration, this time with the Crow Museum of Asian Art.
The choir will present Shams, written by Iranian-born composer Sahba Aminikia, in its world premiere.
The choral work explores the relationship between 13th-century Persian poet Rumi and his guide Shams Tabrizi.
Aminikia’s work focuses on the love between the two men in the setting of Rumi’s poetry.
Shams tells the story of Rumi’s relationship with Tabrizi, who the poet said played an influential role in his philosophical shift in their 40 days together.
It is a story that explores “the intricacies of understanding and acceptance” and “builds cultural bridges for its audience,” according to Verdigris’ website.
“… [W]hat we are targeting here is an idealistic higher love that leads to transformation. I don’t think it’s bounded or limited by gender or anything,” Aminikia told The Dallas Morning News.
The composer told the publication that he traced the development of love over time in the eight sections of the piece.
“Every section is dedicated to one stage of love. And I genuinely just describe what I felt in every stage of love,” said Aminikia, per the DMN.
The play also features performers from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in a string quartet.
Despite the music’s Iranian roots, the composer told the DMN it is also influenced by Western culture.
“My music is a combination of many things, because growing up in Iran doesn’t mean that you listen to Iranian music all the time,” he explained, per the DMN. “I grew up with Queen, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, a lot of jazz music like Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong.”
Verdigris’ artistic director Sam Brukhman said he chose Shams because of the city’s sizable Middle Eastern and North African populations.
“We think it’s really important to bring attention to Iranian and Middle Eastern cultures,” he said, reported the DMN, “and to be able to have a vehicle of understanding and perspective-change through the words of Rumi and Shams. That’s something that’s been really rewarding, even with our singers, seeing them go through that transformation.”
Performances are April 14, 15, and 16 at 7:30 p.m. CDT at Moody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St., Dallas. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased here.
