Gifted Singer, Flutist Unite for Persian Classical Sounds

Persian classical music integrates words, mood and emotion into a unified form of expression. And when artists such as singer Parisa and ney (Persian flute) virtuoso Hossein Omoumi approach it with their combined talents, the result is a superb representation of a music filled with unfamiliar but compelling riches.

Parisa and Omoumi performed with percussionists Pejman Haddadi and Saam at Veterans Wadsworth Theater on Sunday before a packed house receptive to the music’s most subtle twists and turns. The texts traced to three legendary Persian poets, Sa’adi, Rumi and Hafez, and the melodies and rhythms were based on traditional themes.

But the real thrust of the performance came from the extraordinary interaction between Parisa and Omoumi (whose sensual ney can be heard in the soundtrack of the movie “The Sweet Hereafter”).

Parisa, a confident, controlled singer, sang with great warmth and skill, her multi-timbred voice moving with exquisite grace through the music’s intricate vocal ornamentations, while vividly underscoring the splendid imagery of the words.

Omoumi was equally fascinating. His playing, which ranged freely across his instrument’s dark, breathy, lower register and its airy high notes, was articulated with illuminating musical intelligence. And his presentation of the unfolding themes was so clear, so well-connected, that its essence was crystal-clear, even to ears unfamiliar with Persian music.

In their vocal duets--a rarity in Persian classical music--the pair reached a peak of expressiveness, passionately echoing each other’s lines, dramatically underscoring the fashion in which a traditional music, in the hands of gifted artists, can grow, change and evolve.