The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio
Premiered at The Broad Stage, Los Angeles June 18- 19 2022 Sold Out both nights
The Conference of the Birds is a new oratorio based on Sufi mystic poet Attar’s seminal text about the journey of the soul as it seeks union with the Divine. It is composed by Fahad Siadat with a libretto by Sholeh Wolpé and directed/choreographed by André Megerdichian.
The epic poem utilizes a form found in medieval Islamic literature, the embedded narrative, whereby a series of smaller tales and parables nestle within a larger narrative that illustrates and distills the core tenets of the Sufi spiritual path and philosophy, a tradition often considered the mystical branch of Islam.
Using birds as a metaphor for those on the Sufi path, the story follows the birds of the world who embark on a journey to find their sovereign, the Simorgh, a divine, mythical creature. Traveling through The Seven Valleys, the birds follow the spiritual trials of the Sufi path as they journey to the Simorgh’s door. Each story cuts through the dogmatic teachings of religion exposing the broader pitfalls and yearnings of the spiritual journey and emphasizing the shared values between spiritual traditions.
Rather than using instruments for additional symphonic and timbral color as is typical for an oratorio, the a cappella choir will both narratively act as the birds on the journey as well as musically function as the ‘orchestra’ to support arias and recitatives, utilizing a collection of alternative vocal techniques not typically found in choral music. The intent with this project is to engage further with the relationship between musical principles and the ecstatic experience within Sufi religious practice, especially the experience of de-individuation, a core aspect of Sufi practice. While Sufi music has its own structures and idioms, the specific musical aspects of Sufi compositions, like rhythmic cells or harmony structures, are not in and of themselves considered sacred nor to have mystical properties that bestow on the listener an ecstatic experience.
Librettist Sholeh Wolpé introduces the show Broad Stage
Photographs courtesy of Farhang Foundation
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
Librettist Sholeh Wolpé introduces The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage
The Conference of the Birds - A Movement-Driven A Capello Oratorio - Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé, Choreography by André Megerdichian Broad Stage