Concert Overture "Lover's Dance"

Babak Naseri is set to premiere his orchestral composition Lover’s Dance, a single-movement concert overture inspired by the Persian poet Nezami’s epic tale Khosrow and Shirin.

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Background and Inspiration:

The work draws upon one of the most evocative episodes in Nezami’s narrative. Shirin, beloved of Khosrow, journeys to the mountain where the devoted Farhad labors tirelessly, carving a passage through stone. Overcome by her presence, Farhad abandons his toil and begins to dance, his movements embodying both passion and despair. Naseri’s composition takes this moment of transformation as its central image, translating it into orchestral sound.

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Musical Structure

Lover’s Dance is conceived in a broad ternary or rough sonata-like form, providing contrast between expansive outer sections and a more intimate central passage. Persian melodic contours and rhythmic inflections permeate the score, with a particularly striking use of the Chahargah mode in the middle section. These elements are interwoven with Western symphonic language, allowing the piece to balance narrative vividness with structural coherence.

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Artistic Aim

The overture does not attempt literal illustration; rather, it evokes the emotional resonance of Farhad’s fateful dance. By blending Persian motifs with orchestral traditions, Naseri creates a soundscape that highlights the universality of longing, struggle, and artistic exaltation as portrayed in Nezami’s timeless poetry.
For tickets and information, please refer to TCO website.