Please reserve your seat. $15 per person (online or at the door) Tickets through EventBrite

Program:
7:30 – Opening talk by Amer Latif, Professor of Religion at Marlboro College.
7:45 – Rumi poetry reading in Farsi and English with Banoo Homaee and Pierce Butler
8:15 – Intermission- iftar: Turkish appetizers served by Café de Boston
8:45 – Whirling Ceremony of the Dervishes with music performed by Orkestra Marhaba and guest musicians
9:30 – Closing

Mevlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273) – more popularly known as Rumi - was a 13th-century Persian Islamic scholar, theologian, Sufi mystic and poet, whose  influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions and whose spiritual legacy has been greatly appreciated for the past seven centuries. His masterpieces have been widely translated into many world's languages. Rumi has been described as the "most popular poet” and the "best selling poet" in the United States.

The Mevlevi sema is named for Mevlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi and describes the whirling ceremony wherein semazens (dervishes) turn to music in 4 different sections (selams). These divisions show the path of the semazen where the ego submits to the will of God.

At this rare program you will have an opportunity to experience the sema and learn more about Rumi and his teachings. There will be poem readings from Rumi’s masterpiece Mathnawi which will be followed by an intermission during which Turkish appetizers will be served. The Mevlevi sema with whirling dervishes accompanied by traditional Ottoman music will finalize the evening.

Orkestra Marhaba – Boston based music ensemble exploring the world of Ottoman art music

Fred Stubbs – ney
Shanteri Baliga – voice, bendir
Volkan Efe – oud
Diana Traylor – violin
Theresa Thompson – violin
Michael K. Harrist – yayli tanbur

Guests musicians:
Beth Bahia Cohen – yayli tanbur
Tev Stevig – tanbur
Hinako Sato – voice