Afsaneh Rasaei

Afsaneh Rasaei (Persian: افسانه رثایی‎‎) is a premier Persian vocalist who began training with Mahmoud Karimi in 1974. After the Islamic Revolution women were not allowed to perform in public, so all the activities of women vocalists were limited to teaching. Now, Iranian women are permitted to perform in concert with men, in choir. However, she was one of the pioneers in Iran to sing thoroughly and singularly in concerts, even though men were present. Rasaei has worked with Hossein Alizadeh and was leading the Hamavayan Ensemble.