The Imagination of Ancient Empire of Iran: Philosophical Poetry of Omar Khayyam and Legendary Voice of Amir Hossein Nouri

Nowadays, there is less of a name and recognition for the role of Iranians in world culture and art. Contrary to popular belief, Iran has a high level of cultural diversity. Although located in the Middle East, it is a country with four seasons. Beautiful with an ancient history, which had one of the great empires of the world. The country which originated with the first human rights document by Cyrus the Great (founder and first king of the Achaemenes Empire) in 538 BC, as well as the source of the threefold slogan of Zoroaster (Iranian prophet who is the founder of one of the oldest religions in the world) with the mantra of "Good speech, a good deed and good thought."

Part of the Zoroastrian belief is to become "Ashwan" which means that every human being must spread happiness in the world around self because happiness helps the good forces in the fight against evil. With the passage of two thousand years of cultural change, some of these beliefs still have a fundamental place in Iranian culture. Iran has a collection of the oldest celebrations in the world. Nowruz, the beginning of spring (the astronomical moment when spring begins) or Yalda, the celebration of the longest night of the year ( Iranians celebrate the longest night of the year until dawn, hoping to spend the black night until the dawn of tomorrow). The Iranians used the astronomical calendar to hold such ceremonies, and Omar Khayyam calculated the most accurate solar calendar during his lifetime.

Omar Khayyam Neyshabouri has not only been a prominent astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher, but many in the world know him for his poetry collection. Iran used to be known for its artists who are famous in the world. The more prominent form of art in Iran is literature and poetry, where great poets such as Rumi, Ferdowsi, Saadi, Hafez, and Khayyam are an essential part of the identity of Iranian culture. Poetry also has a special place in the daily life of Iranians. With the passage of generations, it is passed down, from generation to next generation.

Inspired by these historical and cultural roots, Amir Hossein Nouri, a young Iranian artist, has created new works with the poems of the great Iranian poets. An artist who has an exceptional voice and unique art of composing. He has relied on the fusion of indigenous knowledge and what he has learned from the world's largest art universities, reflecting a new role of musical fusion.

Looking at his activities and abilities, he has a chance to find his space on the global stage.

These activities include years of humanitarian work under a project called the "White Dream" which aims to give hope to children with a specific illness, which he co-founded. On the other hand, he is currently undergoing various formal courses at the United Nations and children's rights organizations to advance his humanitarian goals. He is exploring and combining different styles for performing and composing music, where the old and new worlds meet. He states that his goal is to create music and song like the ancient Iranians of Ashavan, to create hope and awareness for building a better world.

Khayyam's song is the first work of his new collection, which is composed entirely of the poems of the great poets of Iran. Potentially a world-class work that removes the dust of the history of ancient Iran which combines and covers music in a wide geographical area. This work has used two couplets by Hakim Omar Khayyam in Persian and English as the main Lyrics of the song. This track will be available to those interested soon.

Khayyam reminds the world of humanism and capturing the moments of life by composing his rubaiyat. He calls humans the jewel of creation and invites man to a happier life. Khayyam's quatrains have been translated into most of the living languages of the world. In the West, Khayyam's poems are mostly known by translations of Edward Fitzgerald, which two hundred years after its publication is still considered the best translation of Khayyam's works. Over the centuries, Khayyam still has an influential place in today's world, from appearing in Dr. Martin Luther King's speech to modern astronomy.

Although, the rich history and art of Iran over centuries has always inspired the creation of many works of art, unfortunately in recent years, we have witnessed the distancing of this culture from the world. However, it seems that Iranian culture has found new ways to connect with the modern world, including the seventh art and the emergence of directors such as Abbas Kiarostami and Asghar Farhadi. It seems that the efforts of young artists like Amir Hossein Nouri create a chance to form a new path for more cultural connection. Khayyam's song, which has a reflection on the philosophy of human life, can be the first step in this direction.