PARI ZANGANEH’s voice is the blazing light in her personal darkness. By TIMOTHY RENSHAW In her native Iran, she is said to have gold in her throat, but Zanganeh, an in- ternationally acclaimed soprano, has not been ia her homeland for the past four years where music is now forbidden. Instead, Zanganeh is ‘formal training at age | for the bili spreading the music of Iran and the weaith of her voice to the rest of the world. She has always been musical, her first audiences she says, were her school classmates, but she began her praia BO ANS Be NEWS photo Stuart Davis INTERNATIONAL IRANIAN soprano Pari Zanganeh brings her unique blend of Persian folksongs and classic international opera to North Vancouver's Centennial Theatre, Friday, April 26. Ce c SOLO HARP VETTA STRING QUARTET Works by Mozart, Fauré Mendelssohn & others, EURYTHMY CENTENNIAL THEATRE SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH 8:00 p.m. | 123 E. 23rd ST., NORTH VAN. ADULTS $7.00, Students/Seniors $4,00 Family $45. Info 985-7435 A WALDORF SCHOOL BENEFIT CONCERT under the direction of Iran's renowned Maestro Zarrin- panjeh. She pursued classical opera, the highest form to which any singer can aspire. It led her to {taly, Austria, and Germany. Her talents impressing all, astounding some: ‘‘My Italian teacher said, ‘you will be another Maria Callas if you continue’.’’ But the lifetime commit- ment that opera demands was interrupted for Zanganeh by marriage and devotion to a husband and two daughters. Fate, however, was not about to let the magnificence of her voice languish. She had a mission to fulfill. Sixteen years ago, Zanganeh fost her eyesight in acar accident. This traumatic loss of her visual powers stranded her in an audio world where sound, more than ever, became her means of expression. ‘It changed my life,’’ says Zanganeh, “‘I returned to my singing to keep busy. And I said to myself, if 1 am not to be the greatest singer in all ways, I shall be the best I can through other ways: charity and promotion of understan- ding throughout the world through music.” Zanganeh has since donated many of her concerts and their proceeds to the founding of educational cen- tres and libraries for the blind. Awards recognizing her contribution to the welfare of the blind range from receipt of a 1973 Distinguished Service Medal in Tehran to the Gold Medal for Achievement at the 1978 International Spring Festival in Tel Aviv to receipt of an honorary citizenship of Houston, Texas and title of Goodwill Ambassador for 59 - Friday, April 26, 1985 - North Shore News Au Milieu PAGE 61 that city in June 1984. Zanganeh’s dedication to the blind is matched by her dedication to the musical heritage of her homeland. Her concerts blend the works of Puccini and Gershwin with the folksongs of Iran, render- ing the latter in her unique style with operatic and classical harmonies, ‘Iranian folksongs,’’ she says, “‘differ very much from the north of the country where the climate is wet and there is much greenery to the south where it is very arid and living is much harder. Northern songs are much more joyful and outgoing; songs from the south are sad and melancholy.”’ Zanganeh adds that eastern music is generally more improvisational, its lyrics more philosophical than comparative music and lyrics from the West. Iranian folksongs, she says, deal with kk Baby Books Baby Scissors Bibs * Beokends Bunk Beds %& Carriages Christening Valets * Combi High Chair-Playtables * Cribs * Dolly Prams % Dressers K English Prams x Fabric by the Yard +“ Foldaway Highchairs Giftware * Grandmother Clocks x + x + * x * x x k* _ Proud Partners * David Thornhill are tickled pink and blue to Gnnounce the birth of their second store. Friday, April 26 PLAaCe: Park Royal South Time: TOO IO Ok kkk kkk +Woric * 2245 Granvilie Street (at 7th) KKKKAKKK KK KKK KKK KAKI jelcome Please join our celebration and enter our draw for a beautiful brass cradie. courage arid the cycles of life and death that reflect their tribal origins, “they are not political, because, historical- ly we have not been a revolu- tionary people.” To Zanganeh, music is beyond the political, beyond the regional, it is the interna- ticnal language. “‘My main goal in perfor- ming is to bring people together, help them to forget their differences, promote happiness and good feeling. My singing is the voice of my soul.”’ Tonight at North Van- couver’s Centennial Theatre, Zanganeh will perform a soprano recital accompanied by pianist, Golnoush Khaleghi. Tickets are $I5, with net proceeds of the concert going to the Canadian National [n- situte For the Blind. Call 988-6166 for information. Heirloom Toys infant Clothing Lomps Linens Mobiles Musical Dolls Music Boxes Pictures Playpens Pony & Trap Tricycles Rocking Horses Steepsuits Stroliers Sweaters Towel Sets Wali Hangings. * — Maggi and - gallery level ee SS SSC Se CCC CC CCS CCS CSC CCC CCT CC CES ET SN { * Wes : 733-0817 * + Park Royal South (gallery level) 925-2810 4 kkk KKK Rk kK tk ok ot