TEHRAN – The Tehran Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Manuchehr Sahbai, is set to perform a concert at Tehran's Vahdat Hall on November 16.

A selection of classical pieces will be featured during the performance, including Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto in D Major, the Symphony No. 8 in G minor by Antonin Dvorak, and the Bijan and Manijeh Suite by Hossein Dehlavi.

Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto in D Major is a three-movement piece written for a solo violin and a small ensemble of strings and basso continuo. It is characterized by its virtuosic violin passages, fast-paced rhythms, and intricate melodic lines. The concerto encompasses a wide range of emotions from joyful energy to meditative tranquility, and it is a masterpiece of the Baroque era.

Antonin Dvorak's Symphony No. 8 in G minor is an optimistic and cheerful four-movement symphony. The energetic opening movement sets the tone for the symphony and is followed by a lyrical, graceful second movement and a playful third movement. The triumphant finale features impressive brass and percussion and is a celebration of life and vitality. The symphony is a masterpiece of orchestration, melody, and emotion and is highly regarded in the classical canon.

Hossein Dehlavi's Bijan and Manijeh Suite is a six-movement orchestral work that fuses traditional Persian and Western classical music to tell an Iranian love story. The suite features instruments such as santur, kamancheh, and tar alongside standard orchestral instruments. Each movement represents a key event in the story of the lovers-Bijan and Manijeh- including their encounter, separation, search, and reunion. The suite's expertly blended styles and sophisticated orchestration have made it a popular and culturally significant piece in Persian classical music.

Bijan and Manijeh's love story is a well-known tale in Persian history. Bijan, a skilled hunter, fell in love with Manijeh, a Turan princess, despite the hostility between Iran and Turan. They married in secret and fled to Iran. However, Manijeh's father found out about their elopement and waged war against Iran. 

Bijan fought bravely in the war, but he was eventually killed by Turanian forces. Manijeh died of grief and heartbreak upon learning of Bijan's death. 

SAB/