The relationship between the 13th-century poet Rumi and his mentor Shams Tabrizi lasted just 40 days. But the brief encounter shook his traditional religious upbringing and led to a body of work whose influence has cut across faiths, cultures and historical periods.
Sam Brukhman is one of the most recent to be touched by the story of the Persian mystic. Two years ago, the founder and artistic director of the Verdigris Ensemble conceived Shams, an audiovisual production he says changed his life.
“It became clear that the music was only the baseline of the experience. Audiences found themselves moved, connected and seen.”
For a new version co-produced by the Crow Museum of Asian Art, Brukhman has broadened the 55-minute piece to feature Bruce Wood Dance Dallas in choreography by Joy Bollinger, the company’s artistic director.
Verdigris commissioned the music from Iranian American composer Sahba Aminikia, who set Rumi’s poetry in the original Farsi for the 16 of the choir. Shams also includes a string quartet, pre-recorded sounds, projections and visual art by another Iranian American, Dallas-based painter Sara Baumann.
Details
May 23-25 at Moody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St. $15-$60. verdigrismusic.org.
Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.
This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, Communities Foundation of Texas, The University of Texas at Dallas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA retain full editorial control of Arts Access’ journalism.