Rahman goes to the Opera
March 13, 2009
In February 2008 the poetry of Rahman Baba translated into English by Sampson and Khan was used on stage in Canada in the short opera The Translator.
The new opera was part of an innovative series hosted by the Harbourfront Centre, Toronto. Leanna Brodie’s opera, put to music by David Ogborn, tells the story of a Pukhtun held in an American prisoner camp. The climax of the drama is when the young American woman who acts as the translator realizes that the prisoner is a sensitive and peaceful man when he quotes Rahman’s poem ‘Sow Flowers’. The sterotype of Pukhtuns as militants is broken.
These pictures of the Opera are courtesy of Photographer Bruce Zinger. The performers are soprano Jessica Lloyd and baritone Calvin Powell.
Thanks to tapestrynewopera.com for letting us use their pictures.
Translation Competition
March 13, 2009
I will send a free copy of the Sow Flowers booklet to the person making the best translation of this popular verse in praise of Rahman’s wisdom:
د رحمان وينا به هله در په ياد شي
چې دې يو دېوال ته مخ بل ته دې شاه شي
Post your translation here.
Imdad.
