Elham Manouchehri
Artistic Director · Voice and târ
Our work
The Pomegranate Empire
Pomegranate
L’Empire de Grenade is a musical and stage work inspired by Iran’s musical heritage from the Qajar era (1789–1925). The project revisits works from this pivotal period in Iranian history, particularly those by Aref Qazvini and Ali Akbar Sheyda, two artistic figures who continue to hold an important place in the collective memory. Passed down orally from generation to generation, these songs express the social concerns and aspirations of a society undergoing major transformations.
Through a new instrumentation combining Persian instruments and a string quartet, this creation weaves Iranian and Western musical traditions. Rather than faithfully reproducing works from the past, artistic director Elham Manouchehri sought to open a dialogue between eras, allowing this heritage to resonate with audiences today.
The title of the work also carries symbolic meaning. “Empire” pays tribute to the richness of Persian cultural heritage. “Grenade”, the pomegranate, is a symbol of life, abundance, and unity in diversity. It reflects the spirit of the project: a meeting of different traditions and sensibilities brought together in a single creation.
Beyond the music, L’Empire de Grenade offers a stage experience enhanced by lighting and visual elements, which help create a distinctive world around the work.
Dialogue, innovation, and openness to the West, all characteristic of the Qajar era (1789–1925), lie at the heart of the creative process behind L’Empire de Grenade. This period was marked by profound cultural transformations and a remarkable flourishing of the arts, literature, music, photography, painting, and calligraphy. It also saw Iran opening itself more fully to Europe.
In today’s turbulent times, amid the tsunami of globalization and multiple crises, L’Empire de Grenade explores what this era can teach us, helping us evolve while continuing to nurture our traditions and individualities.
