Rudaki Theater hosting Tazieh performances

Starting from July 7, the Rudaki Open-Air Theater in Tehran has been hosting Tazieh, a traditional Iranian passion play.

The performances, being held throughout the first ten days of the lunar month of Muharram, commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH].

The Seyyed ush-Shohada Tazieh Group, led by Ahmad Azizi, performs the play every night at 8 p.m. for ten nights.

Their repertoire includes several popular plays, including ‘Shah Cheragh (AS) Tazieh’, ‘Hazrat Muslim (AS) Tazieh’, and ‘Hurr ibn Riahi Tazieh’.

‘Shah Cheragh (AS) Tazieh’ narrates the martyrdom of Hazrat Ahmad ibn Musa (AS) and his brothers during their journey to visit Imam Reza (AS) in Khorasan.

‘Hazrat Muslim (AS) Tazieh’ follows Muslim ibn Aqil al-Hashimi (AS), the messenger of Imam Hussein (AS), on his journey to Kufa before the Ashura uprising.

‘Hurr ibn Riahi Tazieh’ tells the story of Hurr ibn Riahi, a commander of the enemy troops who changed his mind to join Imam Hussein (AS) on the eve of Ashura.

Other notable performances include ‘Ali al-Akbar (AS) Tazieh’ and ‘Abbas ibn Ali (AS) Tazieh’.

‘Ali al-Akbar (AS) Tazieh’ depicts the bravery of the oldest son of Imam Hussein (AS) during the Battle of Karbala.

‘Abbas ibn Ali (AS) Tazieh’ honors Abbas (AS), a brother of Imam Hussein (AS), known for his bravery and role as water-supplier during the battle.

Tazieh, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since November 2010, combines poetry, music, song, and motion to portray religious events, historical and mythical stories, and folk tales.

Performances, always by male actors, often depict the Ashura uprising and are deeply rooted in Iranian religious and cultural traditions. Tazieh, flourishing during the Safavid and Qajar eras, has evolved over centuries.