Bijan and Manijeh: A Love Story

Don’t miss your chance to experience the Persian art of Naqqali, an ancient form of dramatic storytelling involving music, dance, painted scrolls, role playing, gesture, verse, prose, and improvisation. Historically, it was performed in palaces for kings, in schools for scholars, and at coffeehouses, parties, and on the streets for the public. In 2011, UNESCO added Naqqali to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of preservation.

Now, in partnership with Toronto’s Naqqali Centre, we bring you a special Naqqali based on the story of Bijan and Manijeh, two characters from the Shahnameh (Book of Kings).

The heroic knight Bijan embarks on a mission at the border between Iran and Turan where the beautiful princess Manijeh sees him and falls deeply in love. She ends up sneaking Bijan into her father’s palace, and when he discovers them he casts them both out. Bijan ends up at the bottom of a well and Manijeh must now rescue him with the help of Rostam, the hero of the Shahnameh.

The duo Nikamok (Cheryl L’Hirondelle and Joseph Naytowhow) opens the evening, performing songs from their self-titled album and sharing a mix of trickster, creation, and historical stories. You won’t want to miss their rare reunion during winter, the traditional storytelling season.

Bijan and Manijeh and Nikamok are part of our 2018/19 Performing Arts season, The Other Side of Fear, featuring acclaimed artists who have transcended fear through music, dance, and spoken word.