Dear Earth,
Those who harm you do not live in poor regions. I understand your wrath, but be merciful to those who love you!
A strong earthquake hit Iran!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Five Plays in LA
I will present five plays in two theatre conferences and Film Society in Los Angeles from August 2nd to August 8th, 2010.
1- “Another Phaedra in the Desert” will be read on Monday August 2nd at UCLA at 11: AM at Little Theatre.
This play is a new take on the epic story of Soodabeh and Siavash by Ferdowsi and a new perspective on the powerful, yet complicated character Sudabeh who challenges her husband, the king, and her son in law, the prince, in order to examine power manifestation as she questions women’s captivity, gender inequality and injustice.
http://www.athe.org/wtp/html/about.html
http://www.athe.org/wtp/
2-“My Name is Inanna” will be performed by the playwright at ATHE conference on Friday August 6th at Hyatt Regency Hotel, Westwood Room- Plaza Level at 9:45 with five other playwrights in “Rage, Speak, Act against the Machine: A Survival Quilt – Weaving through Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Class, Sexuality.” Participants are:
Domnica Radulescu
Elizabeth Szekeresh
Ezzat Goushegir,
Sara Guerrero,
Joan Lipkin,
Marilyn McLaughlin
“My Name is Inanna” is about a modern Iranian woman in the U.S. who is in search of identity, justice and freedom.
http://www.athe.org/files/pdf/10ConferenceProgram.pdf
http://www.athe.org/
http://www.athe.org/conference/index
3-“The Bride of Acacias”
A one woman show based on life of the prominent Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad, whose poetry made a significant impact on men and women in Iran.
4- “THE DOLL BEHIND THE CURTAIN”
Based on an adaptation of Sadegh Hedayat’s short story of the same title. The play explores the complexity of love, sexuality and intimacy from the perspective of a man, torn in between tradition and modernity.
Stage Reading by: Mahmoud Behrouzian and Roya Aryanpad
5- An Excerpt from: “Two Iranian Children”
A play about two Iranian twin sisters reuniting after twenty two years of separation caused by Islamic revolution, where their life turned into completely opposite directions.
Stage Reading by: Ziba Shirazi, Roya Aryanpad and Danielle Jacobs
The last three plays will be performed at Film Society in August 8th at 6:30 PM at:
Felicia Mahood Auditorium
11338 Santa Monica Blvd.
1- “Another Phaedra in the Desert” will be read on Monday August 2nd at UCLA at 11: AM at Little Theatre.
This play is a new take on the epic story of Soodabeh and Siavash by Ferdowsi and a new perspective on the powerful, yet complicated character Sudabeh who challenges her husband, the king, and her son in law, the prince, in order to examine power manifestation as she questions women’s captivity, gender inequality and injustice.
http://www.athe.org/wtp/html/about.html
http://www.athe.org/wtp/
2-“My Name is Inanna” will be performed by the playwright at ATHE conference on Friday August 6th at Hyatt Regency Hotel, Westwood Room- Plaza Level at 9:45 with five other playwrights in “Rage, Speak, Act against the Machine: A Survival Quilt – Weaving through Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Class, Sexuality.” Participants are:
Domnica Radulescu
Elizabeth Szekeresh
Ezzat Goushegir,
Sara Guerrero,
Joan Lipkin,
Marilyn McLaughlin
“My Name is Inanna” is about a modern Iranian woman in the U.S. who is in search of identity, justice and freedom.
http://www.athe.org/files/pdf/10ConferenceProgram.pdf
http://www.athe.org/
http://www.athe.org/conference/index
3-“The Bride of Acacias”
A one woman show based on life of the prominent Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad, whose poetry made a significant impact on men and women in Iran.
4- “THE DOLL BEHIND THE CURTAIN”
Based on an adaptation of Sadegh Hedayat’s short story of the same title. The play explores the complexity of love, sexuality and intimacy from the perspective of a man, torn in between tradition and modernity.
Stage Reading by: Mahmoud Behrouzian and Roya Aryanpad
5- An Excerpt from: “Two Iranian Children”
A play about two Iranian twin sisters reuniting after twenty two years of separation caused by Islamic revolution, where their life turned into completely opposite directions.
Stage Reading by: Ziba Shirazi, Roya Aryanpad and Danielle Jacobs
The last three plays will be performed at Film Society in August 8th at 6:30 PM at:
Felicia Mahood Auditorium
11338 Santa Monica Blvd.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Can Obama Keep His Promise to Iran's Youth?
Can Obama Keep His Promise to Iran's Youth?
"The early verdict on the new Iran sanctions is that even the "smart" sanctions have proven to be, well, dumb. Instead of targeting Iranian government officials connected to the nuclear program or who are complicit in human rights abuses, the new sanctions are punishing young Iranians who have been the greatest allies of democracy, human rights, and accountability in Iran." Read more...
Don't let Congress Green-Light Attack on Iran
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
I just Got Back from Iran.
I just Got Back from Iran.
By Stephen Kinzer
"The first thing that strikes Americans who visit Iran is how amazingly pro-American its people are. Nowhere else in the Middle East, nowhere else in the Muslim world, and almost nowhere else on earth do people so unreservedly admire the United States. Opinion surveys confirm this phenomenon, and I remembered it from previous visits." Read more...
By Stephen Kinzer
"The first thing that strikes Americans who visit Iran is how amazingly pro-American its people are. Nowhere else in the Middle East, nowhere else in the Muslim world, and almost nowhere else on earth do people so unreservedly admire the United States. Opinion surveys confirm this phenomenon, and I remembered it from previous visits." Read more...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Last night with Elgar and Holst
Last night I was invited to a classical concert at Northwestern University, Pick-Staiger concert Hall where Eliza Zielazinski played violin.
This time I wanted to observe musicians with their certain characteristics and listen scrupulously to each one in a harmonious orchestra. I wanted to see each tree in the forest.
It’s always inspiring to look at things from different perspectives which can stimulate our imagination tremendously. I needed the theatre to be dark enough, to release my emotions without any hesitation. The whole time a scene from Le Temps Retrouvé (Time Regained) by Raul Ruiz came to my mind where Marcel Proust listens to a classical piece. Perhaps I was in a particular mood and a certain ambiance where the whole situation tenderized my emotions!
The first piece was Concerto for cello by Edward Elgar (1857-1934) with mesmerizing cello player Russell Rolen and the second one, The Planet by Gustav Holst (1874-1934), conducted by Robert G. Hasty.
As I was drawn into the world of music, I thought how classical music can transcend humans to a higher level of understanding. It helps to see the world around us in a humane way as these pieces were composed in response to World War One.
Edward Elgar returned to his residence at Brinkwells, following the shock of war, with its unprecedented amount of death and loss. The quiet and peaceful surroundings inspired him to write this piece. It came from his heart: "simple, but deep melodies flourished forth, as if to finally heal the grief suffered during wartime."
This time I wanted to observe musicians with their certain characteristics and listen scrupulously to each one in a harmonious orchestra. I wanted to see each tree in the forest.
It’s always inspiring to look at things from different perspectives which can stimulate our imagination tremendously. I needed the theatre to be dark enough, to release my emotions without any hesitation. The whole time a scene from Le Temps Retrouvé (Time Regained) by Raul Ruiz came to my mind where Marcel Proust listens to a classical piece. Perhaps I was in a particular mood and a certain ambiance where the whole situation tenderized my emotions!
The first piece was Concerto for cello by Edward Elgar (1857-1934) with mesmerizing cello player Russell Rolen and the second one, The Planet by Gustav Holst (1874-1934), conducted by Robert G. Hasty.
As I was drawn into the world of music, I thought how classical music can transcend humans to a higher level of understanding. It helps to see the world around us in a humane way as these pieces were composed in response to World War One.
Edward Elgar returned to his residence at Brinkwells, following the shock of war, with its unprecedented amount of death and loss. The quiet and peaceful surroundings inspired him to write this piece. It came from his heart: "simple, but deep melodies flourished forth, as if to finally heal the grief suffered during wartime."
Friday, July 9, 2010
Le dormeur du val By Rimbaud
Le dormeur du val, By Arthur Rimbaud, 1870
Translated into Persian by Aladin Goushegir
رمبو اين شعر را در سال 1870 در 16 سالگی به نشانة انزجار از جنگ سرود، هنگامی که در پاريس می زيست و اين شهر در اشغال ارتش پروس بود و جنگ بود و خون و کشتار کمونارها.
خفتة درّه
حفره ای است سبزينه و نغمة رودی
آويخته بی سبب بر علف ها، لت هايی
نقره فام ؛ آن جا که خورشيد از کوهسار مغرور
می درخشد : درکه ای است پرتو افشان
سربازی جوان، گشوده کام، سر برهنه،
و گردن مغروق در طراوت برگ های سبز و تيره،
خفته، آرميده در ميان علف ها، زير ابرها
پريده رنگ در بستر سبزش، نور می بارد برش
پاها در گلايول ها، خفته. لبخند می زند چون
لبخند کودکی بيمار، در خوابی سبک:
طبيعت، لالايی اش کن به گرمی: سردش است.
اثری از نوازش رايحه ها بر مشامش نيست؛
در آفتاب خوابيده، دست بر سينه،
آرام. دو زخم سرخ بر پهلوی راست دارد.
Translated into Persian by Aladin Goushegir
رمبو اين شعر را در سال 1870 در 16 سالگی به نشانة انزجار از جنگ سرود، هنگامی که در پاريس می زيست و اين شهر در اشغال ارتش پروس بود و جنگ بود و خون و کشتار کمونارها.
خفتة درّه
حفره ای است سبزينه و نغمة رودی
آويخته بی سبب بر علف ها، لت هايی
نقره فام ؛ آن جا که خورشيد از کوهسار مغرور
می درخشد : درکه ای است پرتو افشان
سربازی جوان، گشوده کام، سر برهنه،
و گردن مغروق در طراوت برگ های سبز و تيره،
خفته، آرميده در ميان علف ها، زير ابرها
پريده رنگ در بستر سبزش، نور می بارد برش
پاها در گلايول ها، خفته. لبخند می زند چون
لبخند کودکی بيمار، در خوابی سبک:
طبيعت، لالايی اش کن به گرمی: سردش است.
اثری از نوازش رايحه ها بر مشامش نيست؛
در آفتاب خوابيده، دست بر سينه،
آرام. دو زخم سرخ بر پهلوی راست دارد.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Le dormeur du val
The Wounded Man by Gustave CourbetListen to Arthur Rimbaud's poem Le dormeur du val about a soldier sleeping in the valley.
The sleeper in the Valley
It is a green hollow where a stream gurgles,
Crazily catching silver rags of itself on the grasses;
Where the sun shines from the proud mountain:
It is a little valley bubbling over with light.
A young soldier, open-mouthed, bare-headed,
With the nape of his neck bathed in cool blue cresses,
Sleeps; he is stretched out on the grass, under the sky,
Pale on his green bed where the light falls like rain.
His feet in the yellow flags, he lies sleeping. Smiling as
A sick child might smile, he is having a nap:
Cradle him warmly, Nature: he is cold.
No odour makes his nostrils quiver;
He sleeps in the sun, his hand on his breast
At peace. There are two red holes in his right side.
Lives Like Loaded Guns
"Lives Like Loaded Guns"
by Lyndall Gordon
A week after Emily Dickinson died in 1886, her younger sister Lavinia opened drawers in the reclusive poet's bedroom and found a veritable treasure trove: nearly 1,800 poems, meticulously crafted by Dickinson during her lifetime. Read more...
Listen to Fresh Air
Listen also to Billy Collins in Fresh Air
You're Next, Iran!
We're on our way!
by Noam Chomsky
The dire threat of Iran is widely recognized to be the most serious foreign policy crisis facing the Obama administration. General Petraeus informed the Senate Committee on Armed Services in March 2010 that "the Iranian regime is the primary state-level threat to stability" in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, the Middle East and Central Asia, the primary region of US global concerns. The term "stability" here has its usual technical meaning: firmly under US control. Read More...
Monday, July 5, 2010
Oliver Stone and South of the Border
Oliver Stone in Tavis Smiley Show talks about his latest documentary South of the Border.
"T'amo e t'amerò"
Born in Naples in 1940,Peppino Gagliadi achieved his first success in 1963 with his song "T'amo e t'amerò" ("I love you and will love you").
In 1970, he had another big hit with the song "Settembre" and more hits followed in the early 1970s.
Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins discusses second life, gods and aliens.
Dawkins came to prominence with his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, which popularized the gene-centred view of evolution and introduced the term meme. In 1982, he introduced into evolutionary biology an influential[5] concept, presented in his book The Extended Phenotype, that the phenotypic effects of a gene are not necessarily limited to an organism's body, but can stretch far into the environment, including the bodies of other organisms.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Sohrab Shahid Saless
Sohrab Shahid Saless, the prominent Iranian filmmaker died in July 1st 1998 in Chicago, in a studio at Catalpa street. It was a day after his birthday on June 28 where I had a bizarre dream. In my dream he signed a contract for his last film. His German producer reminded me of one of Jean Cocteau’s movies: Orphee perhaps! I was watching the innocent sparks of happiness in his eyes and gestures when he signed the contract. Then he kissed my lips! I knew he will be with his bride, but I'd never imagined his last movie would be the reality of his death!
He followed profoundly every expression on my face while I was having this dream. When I opened my eyes, his eyes were fixed on mine. Deep. Meaningful. surrendered.
Watch a scene of Saless' movie: Still Life
Watch a scene of my play "Roses for Sohrab" based on last moments of his death.
Another scene of "Roses for Sohrab"
This play was performed by Ario Mashayekhi and the playwright in 2005 in Chicago.
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