New magic from an ancient culture

Sarasota Ballet presents the premiere of a work by its artistic director that draws on the myth and poetry of Persia.

By MARINA BROWN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2001

SARASOTA -- English gentlemen long have traveled exotic locales to bring home fantastic tales and treasure. Consider Livingston in Africa, Mallory in Tibet or Lawrence in Arabia.

In that tradition, Englishman Robert de Warren, the Sarasota Ballet's artistic director, is unrolling a balletic magic carpet this week. The Sarasota Ballet's world premiere of Zal & Rudabeh is a ballet that has its roots in de Warren's own unique experiences as director of the National Ballet of Iran and its National Folklore Society. The ballet combines the ancient poetry of Persia with original music by Tampa composer/physician David Goldstein.

With promises of bejeweled costumes and mythical creatures, de Warren says even the gala reception and dinner before the performance will be theatrical. And royal. On the guest list is the widow of the former Shah of Iran, Farah Pahlavi. She is a friend of de Warren's who is flying in from Paris for the event.

De Warren sounds decidedly pleased with himself and what he calls a "work I've had brewing for years."

It all started in early 1965, with a serendipitous call from the grande dame of British ballet, Dame Ninette deValois. DeValois, who died last month at 96, had founded what is now the Royal Ballet and, as de Warren puts it, "knew everyone."

"She told me the Shah was looking for someone to start a state dance company. It was wonderful she thought of me," he says.

For the next 11 years, de Warren poured himself into a culture which he found to be "a tapestry of fantasy, color and rhythm." Not only did he create a Western-style company and ballet school, but he and a team of cultural researchers went into the communities of hill tribes, recording with a Super 8 camera and still photos the dances and costumes of the nation's Persian heritage.

Immersing himself in Persian poetry and literature, de Warren assembled one of the most complete cultural portfolios ever collected. But with the fall of the Shah and the ascendancy of radical religious elements, de Warren had to leave quickly. The speedy departure forced him to leave behind many of his treasured notes, yet, he says, "It's all still here in my head. Zal & Rudabeh is my way of honoring the beauty and spirituality of the Persian culture."

The local Iranian community has welcomed de Warren's plans. Through contributions and community support, as well as regular fundraisers, Iranian residents of the bay area are anticipating a glittering introduction to their cultural history. Communities in Los Angeles, where the Iranian population numbers more than 2-million, and Washington, D.C., have expressed interest in bringing the ballet to their cities.

"It's finally time that we remove the black-clad picture Americans have of Iranians and bring them the warmth and vibrancy of this people," de Warren says.

David Goldstein, who has composed for Japanese instruments and has used ancient Greek themes in other de Warren ballets, was a natural for this project, whose story is based on an epic poem by an 11th century Iranian poet. When he began to read excerpts from Ferdowsi's poem, the Book of Kings, he was immediately fascinated. The poem tells a Romeo and Juliet-style tale of young lovers from opposing kingdoms who are protected by a magical bird called the Simorgh. Ultimately, the couple produce a child, Rostam, the greatest hero in Persian mythology.

Goldstein says his musical mission was to create a score that was not "literal, yet had all of the elements of Eastern exoticism and mystery revealed in the poem." After researching Iranian musical modes and structure, he has produced, he says, "music that hopefully is hummable when the audience leaves the theater."

Goldstein, an intensive care pulmonologist, has composed since he was a child in Toronto. He has written the music for the Sarasota Ballet's Madame Butterfly, Gaspar and Dracula, as well as new works for Southern Ballet Theatre.

De Warren is hoping his faithful audiences will continue their usual pattern of "really loving our story ballets."

Like Scheherazade, Fountains of Bakchchisarai and even Firebird, all melodramatic pieces rooted in fairy tale legends of faraway places, Zal & Rudabeh steps back into tradition rather than exploring the abstracted and stark movements of other companies' recent works.

"We've created a magnificent piece of theater," de Warren says. "There's nothing wrong and everything right with telling a beautiful tale, in magnificent costumes, to the perfect music. And of course the dancers are superb."

Preview: Zal & Rudabeh, a new work by Sarasota Ballet artistic director Robert de Warren, will be performed by the Sarasota Ballet with the Florida West Coast Symphony, Thursday through April 8 at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Showtimes: 8:30 p.m. Thur.; 8 p.m. Fri., 2 and 8 p.m. Sat. and 2 p.m. April 8. Opening night performance, $25-$75; subsequent performances $12-$46. Call (941) 351-8000 or toll-free 1-800-361-8388.

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