Director of Fadjr International Theatre Festival: Myths and Epics of Shahnameh Are Base of Iranian Theatre

Iran Theater- This professor and researcher, who spoke in scientific session of naghali-art in City Theatre Complex, introduced epopee Shahnameh as the identity of Iranian art.

Salehpour in his speech titled “Rite and Myth” with point to specialties of narrative Naghali as an Iranian art which is a unique way to narrate the story emphasized: “One of the habits and behaves of Iranian have been listening to story and I think no country had storytelling history as old and as much as us in the world. We have a joy in listening that even orient-researchers explain it with titles like storyteller and story-hearer.”

He counted Shahnameh as the identity of Iranian art and said: “This great epopee of Shahnameh including aspects like epic, historical, and myth speaks from the very first point of the creation day, the first man , ….therefore, its first aspect is its mythical one and then after it speaks about life and then about history.”

In continuing the session the director of 33^rd Fadjr International Theatre Festival with emphasis on this issue that nowadays we have to pay attention to this point that how can we have new look to this old motto and philosophy added:” We, Iranians did weak in this part. Heroes of Shahnameh are always in search of idealism and if a society reaches to it, their progress will be assured; like Japanese who have improved their traditions as same as today science and adapted their behavior with the world. Unfortunately, we couldn’t still define our ideals while we have such background and seven-thousand-year civilization.”

Salehpour pointed to convulsive and bloody situation of these days of Middle East and the calmness of Iran and said: “We Iranians due to Shahnameh for part of our mythical worldview which Ferdowsi versed it thousand years ago. Idealism found its meaning in this part. Therefore, somebody who reads Shahnameh thinks about development, and growth. For example, when Kaykhosrow sends Goudarz to borders to fight with Touranians he gives him some peaceful advices. In fact, many of positive specialties and admirable parts of Iranian culture have reached to us by the epopee Shahnameh composed by Ferdowsi.”

The professor continued: “In addition, durability of many of Iranian arts is because of Shahnameh like café painting, scrolling, Naghali , …also myths and epics of Shahnameh can be base of Iranian theatre that unfortunately, we profited it a little.”