The Story:
In Act 1, the infant Zal is abandoned on a mountaintop by his father, Sam, who thinks the boy a disgrace because his hair is snow white. The boy survives, and is raised by the Simorgh, a mythical bird of prey.
The beautiful Rudaba hears that the army of Zal, now a young man, is camped nearby. She is in love with his legendary prowess, and sends her handmaidens to lure him to her.
In Act 1, the infant Zal is abandoned on a mountaintop by his father, Sam, who thinks the boy a disgrace because his hair is snow white. The boy survives, and is raised by the Simorgh, a mythical bird of prey.
The beautiful Rudaba hears that the army of Zal, now a young man, is camped nearby. She is in love with his legendary prowess, and sends her handmaidens to lure him to her.
Click here to hear an MP3 file containing a short excerpt from Act 1. (2.87mb, 3m 8s)
Rudaba: Give not my name or my birth (I would not know the shame of this town). Softly into his ear breath words to set the flame of passion alight; say my arms are like the willow, my waist like a young cypress, my lips red as a pomegranate. Tell him of my hair the color of raven's wing, by which midnight itself can only seem pale and the shade of a morning sky! Tell him that my eyes, my eyes, have seen him in every stitch of lace, every cup of onyx and ruby that in my chamber await him fill’d in gen’rous measure with wine, wine and rose-water – as well as my lips. Even though my eyes never have gazed upon him, tell him if he desires to fill ev’ry one of his wishes, to accompany you here when darkness has spread across the land like a hen’s wing, covering her chick, pressing it to sleep and shading it from unwanted eyes. Servants: We are bonded to you forever …. |
Zal comes to her chamber, and nine months later Rostam is born – via Caesarian section, aided by the magic of the Simorgh, which faithfully aids Zal in this hour of need.