TEHRAN -- An Iranian group plans to stage a solo performance entitled “Justice Oratorio” based on the Nahj-ul-Balagha of Imam Ali (AS) in Tehran.
Oratorio is an extended musical composition with a text more or less dramatic in character and usually based upon a religious theme, for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra, and performed without action, costume, or scenery.
“Justice Oratorio” will be performed next week at Vahdat Hall by Asghar Hemmat, one of the leading actors of “Imam Ali (AS)”, Iranian director Davud Mirbaqeri’s acclaimed TV series about the imamate of Ali (AS) and the events leading to his martyrdom.
Eighty-five choral singers and an orchestra composed of 25 musicians will collaborate in the performance, which will be directed by Babak Mehri. In addition, a group of 15 actors led by Yaser Khaseb will perform mime during the oratorio.
“The idea for performing the oratorio came when I saw [Polish director] Wlodzimierz Staniewski stage a performance based on philosophical discourses from Herodotus at the Fajr theater festival [in Tehran this year in January],” Mehri said in a press conference on Monday.
“Herodotus doesn’t have a good reputation among Iranians due to his biased attitudes against Iranians. I became sad at that time when I saw that the discourses of Herodotus were narrated for the audience instead of the sermons of our luminaries,” he added.
“Afterwards, I decided to stage an oratorio based on discourses from Imam Ali (AS), whose martyrdom and the last days of his life have only been highlighted in the country and people have no proper understanding of his thoughts,” Mehri stated.
Hemmat also attended the press conference.
“The performance aims to convey the discourses of Imam Ali (AS) to people,” Hemmat said and added, “Maybe it will do something new and people get to know Imam Ali (AS) as he seems to be.”
“I hope the world see that, beside us, there is a man, whose words are still new after many years,” he stated.
“Justice Oratorio”, which will be performed from October 26 to November 1, is based on the Nahj-ul-Balagha, the most famous collection of sermons, letters and narrations from Imam Ali (AS).
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