You’re invited!
Twilight of the Empress
May 15th, 7 pm, at the Plaza del Sol Theater in CSUN.
Last year this time, I was busily preparing for the first Mythos of Iran Conference. If you were at the Philosophical Research Society on May 21st 2023, you experienced a day of talks and performances, each of which illuminated some feature of the Iranian mythological landscape.
I remain dedicated to bringing light to this finely spun universe of myth and meaning for myself and others and to supporting others in this task.
This year, instead of an academic conference, I’ve partnered with my sister Banafsheh Sayyad in bringing you Twilight of the Empress, a theatrical production based on a very special short story written by a Sufi philosopher in nineteenth-century Turkey. Ahmed Hilmi’s “Field of Justice” is special in that it recounts a myth about Zarathustra, Hormuz, Ahriman, and an unnamed Iranian goddess but through a Sufi lens. I love this story because it bridges two of the most significant moments in Iranian thought—the Mazdaist and Sufi. I also love it for its emotional intelligence and relevance for today.
Ours is a contemporary revisioning of Hilmi’s tale, set in the present and told through theater and storytelling, music and choreography. It poses questions about our ongoing obsession with the battle between light and darkness–What is this battle about? Where has it brought us? Where does it end?
Narration by Shila Ommi.
Music by Fared Shafinury.
Choreography by Banafsheh Sayyad.
Visual storytelling by Hitoshi Inoue.
Joined on stage by a vibrant group of musicians and dancers.
https://danceofoneness.org/empress
ADMISSION IS FREE.
We created this deep dive in order to tend to the heart and soul of our beloved Iranian diaspora community as it comes to terms with grief, anger, trauma, fear, betrayal, and other emotions through this prolonged period of tension. Every community has been affected, ours especially. Like last year’s Mythos of Iran Conference, we’re grateful to be sponsored by Take Action LA and the California Dept of Mental Health encouraging us to Take Action for Ourselves, Take Action for Others, and Take Action for our Community placing special focus on the inner world.
TICKETS
Seating is open but make sure to reserve and arrive early. Learn more and tickets
