Pari Zangeneh, Mehr 1355: I Don't Like Modern Art / I Am One of Two Women Representing the World's Blind at the United Nations

In Mehr 1355, at the height of her fame and international activity with 38 concerts over two years, Pari Zangeneh speaks about her artistic worldview: blending classical technique with local songs, negotiating with Deutsche Grammophon in the interest of the blind, and a stage she likens to a 'tightrope walk.'

According to Ambassador Arjan, Opera singer Parirukh Shahyilani, whose stage name is Pari Zanganeh (born on December 11, 1318), lost his eyesight in his youth after a car accident. But this unwanted fate did not stop his path. In the middle of his thirties, he not only learned Western classical singing techniques at a global level, but also preserved the native songs of Iran with an academic method and a trained voice in the center of intellectual education for children and teenagers so that his voice soon transcended geographical boundaries.

On October 22, 1355, "Information" newspaper published an interview with this well-known soloist, information reporter Fateme Khoshegir had an interview with Zanganeh; Just in the days when Zanganeh, with a prolific career including 38 concerts in two years, had a breathtaking schedule between Vienna and Graz to Mashhad, Rasht and Isfahan. In this interview, with a deep look and free from the usual compliments, he talks about the fine line of singing with the head (classical) and the throat (traditional), negotiating with the Deutsche Grammophon company for the benefit of the blind, the artist's fear of forgetting and his mastery over a scene that he likens to "tightrope walking"; A readable conversation that gives a direct picture of Peri Zanganeh's work discipline and worldview at the peak of his career:

In the last two years, Mrs. Pari Zanganeh has given 38 concerts in Iran and other countries. She has dedicated her life to music. After the "Gratz" concert in Austria, she will fly to Mashhad. In the same week, we will see her in Rasht and Isfahan, singing local songs for the people of the cities. Recently, the page of local debris has been published by the Center for Educational Development, which contains eleven local songs with his voice. In this interview, he talked about himself and his works:

As an artist, what efforts have you made to introduce Iranian art to the world?

The movement of artists to different countries can make a great contribution to the advancement of world art and create greater understanding between the artists of one country and their audiences in other countries. I have put my belief into practice by performing several concerts in Italy and Germany and recently in Austria [Austria]. In the concert I had in Germany, I sang German songs, but in the concert in Italy and Germany, I sang some local "Iranian" songs while performing Western classical pieces. During my recent trip to Germany, I spoke with the Deutsche Grammophon company, and after mutual consultation, some Western classics and some local Iranian songs will be recorded with my voice and released to the world market. Fortunately, because "Deutsche Gramophone" is a reliable institution and its specialty is record recording, I think there will be no problems from the technical and performance point of view, and one of my records is going to be sold for the benefit of the blind people of the world.

You use two different methods in performing your songs, doesn't this harm the uniformity of your work?

The usual way of singing western classical pieces is different from the way of performing local works. Most of my artistic activities are singing western classical pieces, but I also like local songs. In singing local songs, I have not chosen the method of singing pop music, and in singing these types of songs, I also use the trained voice method, because to sing traditional and authentic Iranian music, the words come out of the throat, but the singers sing western classical pieces in their head. Continuing this double method will damage the singer's voice.

What have you done for the people of the cities? How do the residents of the city deal with your plans?

Yesterday I was in Mashhad and tomorrow I will go to Rasht to perform a concert and on the 22nd of October I will have a concert in Aryashahr, Isfahan. The people of the cities are often deprived of today's art due to their distance from the centers of artistic gathering. If we know something and distinguish art from other things, it is because of the contacts we have had, so we should give the possibility of this contact to the people of Shahristan. But how the people of the cities accept it without familiarity with classical music is another matter. In the first place, a certain sympathy draws them to the hall, probably later my voice calls them to silence.

Before the performance of the program, someone from my side goes on stage and explains about the program, and before the intermission, I sing relatively light western classical pieces, which are mostly educational, then I start performing heavy pieces of classical music. I think this background is necessary.

What are your plans for the new artistic season?

I started my art by performing a concert in Austria, and on October 26 and 30 this year, I will be a soloist with the Baghcheban Nursery Choir in the Rudaki Hall concerts, and in November, I will probably collaborate with the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra in a novel, and on January 7-8, I will have a concert with the Iran Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Farhad Meshkat and accompanied by Hossein Sarshar. I will be in charge.

Which of the world's musicians has a special attraction for you?

I like the songs of Schubert and Schumann, who are both German composers, and I am fascinated by the heavy works of Russian dramatic music. In general, I cannot belong to the modern music era because I don't like modern art and I don't accept it as a pampering art and I also like Verdi and Puccini operas.

Aren't you afraid of losing your popularity?

Losing popularity is painful for everyone, no artist is exempt from this general rule. The emergence of the best is a danger that threatens all artists in the world. There is no choice but to have the best on stage.

A reader who always puts himself in the path of education, work, practice and experience will leave memories later. This is how the memory of classical music singers is forgotten later than people's minds.

Physical issues and age conditions affect everyone, but there are singers whose physical strength allows them to sing even in old age. In my recent concert, a 67-year-old American singer sang a duet with me in a piece from the opera "Labohm-Puccini".

How do you often feel on stage?

At first, I was worried when I went on stage, but not seeing people made me master the stage. Giving a concert is a difficult task. I remember my singing teacher said: "A singer on stage is like a circus performer who is alone on the rope with no one to help him."

In the scene, several points besides the voice, such as expression, pronunciation of the language, due to having rhythm and listening to the orchestra, occupy the singer.

Which of Iran's new singers do you like?

I like Dariush's voice because of his musical talent and his recognition of rhythm. Dariush sings with his correct understanding of poetry and does not only use his voice, and most importantly, he pronounces the words well.

Do you have any activities outside of art programs?

I am one of the two women representatives of the world's blind people at the United Nations, and on my trips to perform concerts, I often visit blind training centers to gain experience for the Iranian Blind Welfare Center.