Pakistan First Sufi-opera Singer Saira Peter

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KARACHI: Opera singing was started in Italy and it got popular across Europe and it is looking like the form of classical music. It seems that it is known to South Asia. There are different eastern and western styles of singing and there in no branch of opera music till the arrival of Saira Peter. She is the first opera singer of the country and she combines the operatic music with teachings of Sufism, so that it can share its richness with the rest of the world. She started it with her mentor, Paul Knight, the London based singer managed her press conference in Karachi on 24 November and she shared that she was going to start the future projects and she introduced the opera to the local people.

Syed Waqar Hussain Shah is the custodian of shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, who was also present on this occasion.

She said that opera is form of art and you can say it Sufi in its nature, which has deep and spiritual concepts and she was feeling proudly to spread the teachings of Sufism across the western world. The successor of Benjamin Britten, Knight said that he saw great talent in Peter as she has melodious voice and also has the unique mystical quality in it and she is also well-versed in the eastern and opera music, which makes her special.

Shah encouraged her on the idea of singing the poetry of Bhittai in the operatic styles and spread the message of peace. He also said that there is no sect or any kind of division. Opera music is the spiritual and it is going to spread the message of peace and love across the region and world.

The meeting of Peter and Shah was first done in 2014, and they discussed that how they could promote Sufism to the western world. When he knew that she sang opera song, then he thought that it would make it easier and the Sufi Opera brand was set up. According to him, this is the land of Sufi shrine and not of the moulvies or priest or pundits. Shah said that Saira is going to keep this legacy of peace and love to the whole world.

When the conducted the press conference, the next day she showed her performance before the audience and she mesmerized the audience with her ‘Coronation Mass’ and the song ‘Gianni Schicchi’. She also showed her performance of the Urdu and English songs like ‘Mere Dholna Sun’ and the popular English song, ‘My Heart Will Go On’ of Celine Dion. She sang the operatic songs and also the eastern songs as well but she got much appreciation on her operatic songs than her eastern songs. People think that the eastern songs have less energy and charisma than the operatic songs. In the show, the guests included with Salma Waheed Murad, Muneeza Basir mother of veteran singer, Nazia Hassan, b and others were also present in the event. Peter has decided to release her first album, titled ‘Saira next year and this album will be included with the songs in Sindhi, Urdu and English songs including the Sufi-opera songs.

 

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