Love, Arabian Style, for Residency by Silk Road Project
A classic Arabian love story dating back to the 7th century, beloved throughout Central Asia, will be the centerpiece of this year’s residency by the Silk Road Project. It will be in residence at Harvard in the New College Theatre, November 26-30. The residency, in the third year of a five-year collaboration with Harvard, is administered by the Office for the Arts and the Department of Music.
Inspired by the cultural interchange along the historic trade route, the Silk Road Project is a not-for-profit arts and educational organization that connects musicians, composers, artists, and audiences from across the globe. Founded in 1998 by cellist Yo-Yo Ma ‘76, who serves as its artistic director, the organization promotes innovation and learning through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary partnerships.
This fall’s programming, featuring three talks presented by University faculty, culminates in two performances of a 1908 opera by composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov based on the Arabian folk tale of star-crossed lovers Majnun and Leyla. In the spirit of the Silk Road Project’s mission of celebrating local cultures and global traditions, the Silk Road Ensemble is developing an arrangement of the opera for Azeri vocals and traditional instruments in combination with western and Asian strings, percussion and wind instruments.
The complete schedule for the residency is listed below:
Monday, November 26, 2 pm
“Azerbaijani Mugham: A View Through the Centuries” Dr. Aida Huseynova, ethnomusicologist, teacher and Fulbright scholar, will present an overview of the cultural significance of mugham. a form of storytelling through poetry and song. An improvisational genre of the traditional music of Azerbaijan, mugham provides the country with a major stylistic source of art music and jazz.
Wednesday, November 28, 2 pm
“Leyla and Majnun: A Classic Arabian Romeo and Juliet”
Ali S. Asani, Professor of the Practice of Indo-Muslim Languages and Culture, will lead a presentation exploring the cultural and literary significance of the classic Arabian love story of Leyla and Majnun, connecting it to music developed by The Silk Road Ensemble. The workshop will include musical examples of the chamber arrangement, performed by the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma.
Thursday, November 29, 10 am
“Indigo: The Story of a Silk Road Dye”
Ingrid Monson, Quincy Jones Professor of African-American Music and Chair of the Department of Music, will lead a presentation and discussion on indigo, which traveled from India through much of Asia and Africa before it became ubiquitous as the color of modern blue jeans.
Monson, whose recent travels include a visit to villages in Mali where indigo cloth is made, will present an overview of the country’s traditional music, including a performance by the Silk Road Ensemble of an arrangement of a melody from Mali inspired by the story of the fabled dye.
Thursday, November 29, and Friday, November 30, 7:30 pm
Leyla and Majnun
The Silk Road Ensemble presents work-in-progress performances of its new chamber arrangement of the classic Central Asian opera, featuring mugham performer and Azerbaijani Living National Treasure Alim Qasimov and his daughter, Fergana Qasimova.
All events are presented at the New College Theatre, 10-12 Holyoke St. between Massachusetts Ave. and Mt. Auburn St. Admission is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not required, except for the November 29 and 30 performances of Leyla and Majnun.
Free tickets for both performances, limited to two per person, are available through the Harvard Box Office for Harvard students beginning November 13, for all other Harvard affiliates beginning November 15, and for the general public beginning November 20. Box office hours are noon-6 pm, Tuesday through Sunday; tickets are also available online (www.boxoffice.harvard.edu) or by calling 617.496.2222 (TTY: 617.495.1642).
Ticket fees apply for online and phone orders.
