A filigree of 14 th century Persian poetry, Middle Eastern classic & contemporary music and American modern dance

Performed with: Mahmood Karimi-Hakak Zoe B. Zak Recommended for middle and high school students - Study guide available Fee: $1850

This multicultural, multidiscipline program is a unique artistic tapestry that threads music and dance throughout the Persian poetry of Hafez, the 14 th century Sufi poet. Iranian theatre and film director Mahmood Karimi-Hakak, composers Munir Beken and Zoe B. Zak and choreographer Ellen Sinopoli form a woven filigree from the “branches of words.” Beken and Zak’s music is deeply influenced by their Turkish and Jewish heritages respectively while Sinopoli’s choreography reflects the traditions of American modern dance.

The sonnets of Khajeh Hafez Shirazi investigate human relationships. His poems startle, confound, and yet resonate as they celebrate the universal themes of love, union, freedom and tolerance.

“In his poetry, Hafez has inscribed undeniable truths indelibly…Hafez has no peer.”
~Goethe

For more information, contact:
Kim Engel, Education Coordinator
(518) 442-5738
kengel@albany.edu