Name Niloufar Talebi | Role Writer | |
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Occupation librettist, translator, theater artist Notable work Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World, Atash Sorushan (Fire Angels), The Persian Rite of Spring Education | ||
Niloufar talebi translator of iranian poetry
Niloufar Talebi is a writer, award-winning translator and theater artist. She was born in London to Iranian parents. Her work has been presented by, and/or performed at Carnegie Hall, Cal Performances, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, American Lyric Theater, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Craft and Folk Art Museum, Riverside Theatre, Royce Hall, ODC/Dance Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Magic Theatre, Intersection for the Arts, SOMArts Cultural Center, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Stanford University, and Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Contents
- Niloufar talebi translator of iranian poetry
- persian rite of spring by niloufar talebi and bobak salehi
- Belonging New Poetry by Iranians Around the World
- Four Springs
- Midnight Approaches
- ICARUSRISE
- The Persian Rite of Spring the story of Nowruz
- tash Sorushn Fire Angels
- The Disinherited
- The Investment
- The Plentiful Peach
- Epiphany
- Vis I
- Abraham in Flames
- Awards
- Publications
- References
She received a BA in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and an MFA from the Writing Seminars at Bennington College. She studied Performance Art at UCI, and Method Acting at the Shelton Studios.
Talebi has held residencies at the Ledig House International Writer's Residency at Omi International Arts Center, the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, the American Lyric Theater’s Composer/Librettist Development Program, the Washington National Opera's American Opera Initiative, and John Zorn's The Stone during Visionintoart's inaugural Ferus Festival in 2014.
persian rite of spring by niloufar talebi and bobak salehi
Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World
Talebi is the Editor and Translator of the anthology, Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World (North Atlantic Books, 2008), featuring 18 contemporary Iranian poets living outside of Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Four Springs
A multimedia and theatrical performance dramatizing 10 poems from Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World. Performances were at the ODC Theater, and the Mexican Heritage Plaza in the San Francisco Bay Area (2004). Talebi recited/performed the poems in collaboration with composers Hafez Modirzadeh and Mohamad Nejad, and dance artists from Afsaneh Ballet.
Midnight Approaches
DVD of several short video-poems including some footage from the performances of Four Springs. Select video-poems were published by Rattapallax magazine and have screened at festivals internationally, including at the Berlin Zebra Poetry Film Festival, and Visible Verse Festival in Canada. Released in 2006.
ICARUS/RISE
ICARUS/RISE (World premiere, Theatre Artaud, November 15–17, 2007) is a one-hour multimedia theatrical performance of 17 poems from Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World woven together to tell the 30-year story of the Iranian migration. Created and recited/performed by Niloufar Talebi, with dramaturgy by poet/translator Zack Rogow, music by Bobak Salehi, dance and video by Alex Ketley. The performances were edited into a professionally produced DVD.
The Persian Rite of Spring: the story of Nowruz
The Persian Rite of Spring (World premiere, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, March 14, 2010) is a 35-min multimedia performance that brings to life the mythology, poetry, music, and folklore of Nowruz/Norouz from Winter Solstice through 13-bedar: یلدا جشن سده چهارشنبه سوری نوروز سیزده بدر. Created and narrated by Niloufar Talebi, with music and video by Bobak Salehi. Commissioned by the Farhang Foundation. The performance was edited into a professionally produced DVD.
Ātash Sorushān (Fire Angels)
Talebi wrote the libretto for this song cycle reflecting on the decade since 9/11 with composer Mark Grey for Soprano Jessica Rivera and tenor Stuart Skelton. The chamber version of Ātash Sorushān (Fire Angels) was co-commissioned by Meet the Composer, Carnegie Hall (World premiere, March 29, 2011), and Cal Performances, (West Coast-premiere, April 3, 2011). The expanded and orchestral version was commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) (World premiere, March 20–21, 2014).
The Disinherited
Talebi is librettist of a one-act opera with composer Clarice Assad, during her Artist Residency in the American Lyric Theater Composer Librettist Development Program (2013-2014). The Disinherited is set in 1983 Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war, when the fate and safety of a young boy who could be forced to walk over and clear minefields lies between tightly held family secrets. It had a workshop performance at Symphony Space Thalia theater in New York City with mezzo-soprano Sarah Heltzel as Mina Safavi, bass-baritone Adrian Rosas as Bahram Safavi, and tenor Glenn Seven Allen as Shayan Safavi (June 16, 2014).
The Investment
Talebi is librettist for a one-act opera, with composer John Liberatore, set in Silicon Valley, and commissioned by the Washington National Opera's American Opera Initiative, (premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, November 2014).
The Plentiful Peach
Adaptation of a children's story by the Iranian writer Samad Behrangi with composer Mark Grey for the Los Angeles Children's Chorus. World premiere at Stanford University's Bing Theater (Stanford Live), April 19, 2015, and was performed during the LACC summer 2015 USA tour.
Epiphany
Talebi is librettist for an immersive requiem inspired by the Latin Mass and Tibetan Book of the Dead, with composer-impresario and Visionintoart founder, Paola Prestini, and visual artist Ali Hossaini and the Young People's Chorus of New York City founded by MacArthur Fellow Francisco J. Núñez. World premiere at the BAM Next Wave Festival of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, November 4–7, 2015. It was performed as a concert at the Brooklyn-based venue, National Sawdust as part of the VIA Ferus Festival on January 15, 2016.
Vis & I
Novel of the Year in 1998 (Persian Literature Award), Vis & I (l'Aleph, 2017) is a gritty novel by acclaimed Iranian writer, Farideh Razi, translated by Niloufar Talebi. The International Journal of Persian Literature says, "This book serves as a testament to how a translation can bring alive a work of brilliant prose by keeping intact vivid images...Farideh Razi’s depiction of the classically ingrained ideas and ideals of the Iranian mind as pertains to romance and its epic proportions is NOT lost in translation...Talebi deserves recognition for being a new resounding—and resonating—voice for Persian creative writing through her insightful translation."
Abraham in Flames
An opera inspired by the life and writings of Iranian poet, Ahmad Shamlou (1925-2000), conceived and created by Talebi with director Roy Rallo and composer Aleksandra Vrebalov. Abraham in Flames is written for girls chorus as the main character and five soloists. Abraham in Flames will premiere in the 2018/2019 season. Talebi is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts 2014 Translation Fellowship for her translations of Ahmad Shamlou's poetry.