- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Dec 01 (APP):Pakistan’s first opera singer and the world’s pioneering Sufi Opera star, Saira Peter, has captivated audiences at the Sir Syed Memorial Auditorium, delivering a powerful opera performance that blended Western classical technique with the spiritual resonance of Sufi poetry.
Organised by the Silk Road Culture Centre, the much-anticipated event drew music enthusiasts, students and admirers of Pakistan’s cultural diversity. Saira, performing alongside her students from the recently established Saira Arts Academy, Lahore, received prolonged applause from an appreciative audience.
Former federal culture minister and renowned artist Jamal Shah, who attended as chief guest, lauded Saira’s contributions to the arts. Welcoming the performers, he praised her role in introducing the operatic tradition to Pakistan and showcasing the country’s softer cultural image abroad.
The evening opened with introductory remarks by Zafar Francis, Saira Peter’s official manager, after which she took the stage accompanied by her husband and music director Stephen Smith, as well as students Moosa Azeem and Azal Abbas.
Speaking to the audience, the celebrity expressed her pride in representing Pakistan on international platforms. “I feel proud and honoured to participate in these events for my country,” she said, adding that performing in Islamabad with her academy’s students was a moment of “deep personal joy”.
Saira’s performance featured classical Western opera arias, eastern classical and semi-classical, as well as Sufi Opera (regd with the UK Intellectual Property Office) — her own fusion of Western and Eastern classical whose notes join in a magical dance that swings in a twinkling from meend to opera, and back, producing sounds never before heard in the music world. Sufi Opera is a genre she pioneered and has come to be known for globally. Through this innovative style, she seeks to highlight Pakistan as a progressive and peace-loving nation, conveying messages of love, harmony and humanity.
In collaboration with her UK team of professionals, Saira is preparing to launch Marvi’s Tears, the world’s first Sufi opera. The opera features libretto written by Zafar Francis, recounting the tale of Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.
Having trained in both Eastern and Western classical traditions, Saira Peter has honed her craft under veteran UK vocal coach Paul Knight and through master classes with leading sopranos Rosemary Ashe, Louise Tucker, Sumi Jo and others. Over the years, she has introduced Western audiences to the works of classical Sufi poets, including Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, performing across Europe and the United States.
Beyond performance, she heads NJ Arts, London, opened by Sir Cliff Richard OBE in 1998 and whose patrons include Jamal Shah. She also runs Saira Arts Academy, Lahore, where she is preparing Pakistan’s next generation of opera singers.