Monir Vakili
Compiled by Javaneh Khodabakhsh
Updated June 1, 2005
iranian.com
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Thanks to Milad Sfandiary
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Monir Vakili was born in Tabriz, Iran, to a family
of art and music enthusiasts. Her father encouraged her love of
opera and supported her decision to study abroad. Monir studied
voice and the conservatoire National de Paris and continued her
training in opera directing at the New England Conservatory of
Music in the U.S.
A pioneer in the true sense, Monir Started the very
first opera company in Iran. She gave memorable performances as
Madam Butterfly,
Mimi in La Bohem, Violetta in La Traviata, Liu in Turandot, and
many others at the Rudaki Hall where she strived to bring the
level of art history in Iran up to international standards. Among many other highlights in her illustrious career
she produced and hosted a television series featuring the best
selections from
Rudaki Hall; created an opera film festival which was the first
of its kind in the world and established the Academy of Voice,
a government-funded, co-ed boarding school to educate and train
students in the art of opera and choral singing.
In 1951 Monir
placed 1st at the Berlin Youth Festival (vocal category) and
in 1975 she was the recipient of the prestigious
Forough Farrokhzad
Award.
Throughout Monir’s life, her love for her
country permeated all of her work. A manifestation of this love
is al album recorded
in Paris in 1958, of songs from different regions of Iran. She
dazzled the public and international critics with her performance,
and the album, Chants et Danses de Perses, won the Grand
Prix du Disque of Academie Charles Cros.
Monir passed away in 1983. The memory of her ever-lasting
spirit and talent lives on in Baazgasht
("Resurrection"),
an innovative rendition of
the 1958 award-winning album with the help of modern technology,
Monir’s daughter and grandchildren were able to accompany
her in this stunning collection 45 years later. -- From Resurrection CD's
inside sleave.
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Coming soon: monirvakili.com
* Review by a family friend
Sample tracks
* Gol-e
Gandom
* Lor
Batch-e
* Dokhtar-e
Boyer Ahmadi
* To
Biyo
* Pach-e
Leyli
Purchase this Monir
Vakili CD here
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