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Siavoshan

ABOUT PLAY
Baharak Abdolafard cradles a fellow performer’s head on her lap during “Siavoshan” (October 2015), seated amid scattered rose petals on a dim stage with a frame drum and santur in the background.

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August

Siavoshan (October 2015)

Siavoshan is a ritual-inflected stage work inspired by the myth of Siyâvash from Shahnameh and by the historical mourning practices that carry his name. The piece weaves lament, choral gesture and spare images to reflect on innocence, sacrifice and the transmission of grief across generations. With a deliberately minimal scenography, the performers move between quiet recitation and intensifying vocal textures, inviting the audience into a contemplative, almost liturgical space.

Baharak’s Performance

As lead vocalist-performer, Baharak Abdolifard anchors the work with a poised, inward performance. She shapes phrases with fine-grained dynamics—soft, breath-borne openings that widen into resonant, bell-like tones—then lets the sound recede to a charged stillness. Abdolafard’s physical economy (grounded posture, precise handwork) keeps the focus on timbre and text; when the ensemble swells around her, she functions as both witness and chorus leader, giving the piece its emotional spine.