Beyond the Silk: Event Information
Beyond the Silk
Creative Director and Choreographer: Anooheh Booryaee
Conductor & Composer: Saman Mohammad Nabi
Storyteller: Banafsheh Taherian
Music Director: Amin Vali
About the Concert
“Beyond the Silk” is a narrative concert of music, dance, and art that follows the journey of the Silk Road from East to West. Through the voice of the narrator, we discover how a single thread of silk connected cultures, carrying stories, sounds, and movement across continents. Each country reveals a unique glimpse of its heritage through live music, dance, and visual performance.
Scene 1 - China
Our journey begins in China, where a Chinese painter and calligrapher brings the origins of the Silk Road to life through brushstrokes on stage. The shimmering sound of the Guzheng, China’s iconic instrument, carries us through memories of the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the ancient dynasties, the cradle where the first threads of silk were woven and the story began.
Scene 2 - India
Chaap Tilak is a soulful Sufi composition by Amir Khusro that celebrates the magic of divine love. This piece portrays the moment when the beloved’s presence becomes so powerful that it transforms the seeker entirely, “you have taken away my identity with just one glance.”
Through graceful spins, delicate footwork, and expressive abhinaya, the choreography brings alive the bhakti-filled surrender of a devotee to the divine. The movements illustrate the joy, longing, and quiet intoxication of love that goes beyond the physical and enters the spiritual.
Scene 3 - Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan
The journey continues into the Caucasus, where the stage ignites with the fierce energy of Lezginka, a dance of courage, sharp footwork, and warrior spirit that reflects the proud mountain culture of this region. From there, we enter Armenia, carried by the timeless music of Komitas, whose melodies preserve the soul, memory, and emotional depth of Armenian heritage. Finally, we arrive in Azerbaijan, where the lyrical duet “Dağlar Gözəl” (“The Beauty of the Mountains”) brings a story of love to life through graceful partner dance, followed by vibrant Azerbaijani rhythms and the beloved classic “Sənə də Qalmaz”, celebrating the passion, elegance, and musical richness of the land.
Scene 4 - Egypt
In Egypt, this scene is inspired by ancient funerary traditions found in the Book of the Dead, the pyramid texts, and the painted papyrus scrolls that guided the soul through the afterlife. The story, conceived, designed, and choreographed by Anooheh Booryaee, follows a spirit entering the hall of judgment, where the heart is weighed, pulled toward darkness, and ultimately lifted into light, rising as a star in the night sky. This artistic interpretation brings ancient symbols into a contemporary narrative. The music for this scene is specially composed for this production by Saman Mohammad Nabi and carries the title “Starlight Pyramid.”
Scene 5 - Rome
This section begins with An Eisai Ena Asteri, a tender Mediterranean love song that carries the emotional warmth of coastal Europe. The atmosphere shifts with a playful, cinematic trumpet solo, adding a bright and unexpected spice to the scene. The journey then moves into Torna a Surriento, an Italian classic filled with nostalgia and heartfelt expression. Together, these pieces create a musical bridge into Europe, reflecting emotion and human connection rather than historical reconstruction.
Scene 6 - Iran
The Iran section unfolds as a poetic journey of rebirth, longing, and union. It begins with a male dancer and a tenor solo inspired by the verses of Rumi, telling the story of a soul newly awakened, returning to life with joy and searching for the beloved it has rediscovered. The second movement introduces a female dancer and a soprano voice, continuing this path through Rumi’s intimate poetry of presence and love, revealing the heart’s longing for companionship. The final movement brings both dancers and both vocalists together, shaped by the philosophy of Khayyam, celebrating the moment, embracing freedom, and honoring the preciousness of now. Much of the choreography is guided by Persian improvisational expression, and the music for this section, titled “Liberation,” is specially composed by Saman Mohammad Nabi for this production.
Scene 7 - Unity of Cultures
In the final scene, all musicians and performers return to the stage as one, bringing together every color, rhythm, and story we have witnessed along the journey. This moment symbolizes the unity created through art, how music, dance, and culture can connect countries from East to West, weaving their voices into a single shared expression. The finale celebrates the idea that, despite borders and distance, the human spirit finds harmony through creativity, reminding us that art is the thread that binds us all.
November 30, 2025 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Creative Team
- Creative Director and Choreographer: Anooheh Boorayee
- Conductor & Composer: Saman Mohammad Nabi
- Storyteller: Banafsheh Taherian
- Music Director: Amin Vali
- Music Arranger: Reza Ohadi
- Graphic Designer: Fatemeh
- Visual Artist: Mohammad Mirzadabbagh
- Make Up Artist: Milad Taherzadeh
Calligrapher
- Xiang Min, Liz
Production and Technical Team
- Orkideh Salehi
- Orkid Gallery
- Parmida Danesh
- Soroush Shams Abadi
- Bidmeshk Events
- Anahita Nayebi
- Yasmine Shirali
- Fatemeh Azadbakht
- Konj Denj
- Maryam Mirmohammad Khani
- Behzad Sheikhy
- Mohammad Mirzadabbagh
- Tehranto Times
Singers
- Ooldouz Pouri
- Raha Taheri
- Maryam Nosrati
- Jade Hilton
Musicians
- Violin: Saman Mohammad Nabi
- Piano: Reza Ohadi
- Cello / Bass Guitar: Nima Haghighat
- Clarinet / Duduk: Nasser Gholami
- Percussion: Mona Moradi
- Trumpet: Artin Danesh
- Kamancheh: Aria Soltani
- Qanun: Saghar Farsijani
- Guzheng: Lina Cao
- Harmonium: Daksh Raj Sharma
- Tabla: Ramona Sylvan
- Azerbaijani Tar: Mohammad Aman
- Persian Tar / Oud: Amin Vali
Performers
- Anooheh Booryaee
- Sukriti Sharma
- Sepideh Saeid
- Hesam Zamiri
- Rasim Mammadli
- Elmira Sharbaf
- Behnaz Doosthosseini
