Iran’s most revered singer buried near national poet

Iran’s most celebrated musician, Mohammad Reza Shajarian, was buried Saturday morning near the 7th-century national poet Ferdowsi, Iran media reported. 

Shajarian, who died on Thursday at the age of 80 after battling kidney cancer for years, had also been a fierce critic of the government but was regarded as a national treasure who revived traditional music.

A classical composer and singer, Shajarian, became a beacon of opposition after he condemned the violent government crackdown of protests against the disputed 2009 election that gave a second term to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Reuters reported, adding that following this, he was banned from Iran’s music scene.

Earlier in the week, as news broke of his deteriorating condition, hundreds of fans gathered in front of the Jam Hospital in Tehran where Shajarian was being treated. 

Defying a partial lockdown order due to the Coronavirus pandemic, fans sang his songs while holding cell phones over their heads. 

Regarded as a great ostad — or maestro — of classical Persian music, Shajarian was adored by fans across Iran and around the world. 

He focused on Persian folk, classical and traditional styles of music, and received many awards including the UNESCO’s Picasso Medal for outstanding contribution to the arts in 1999; the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, the highest distinction in France, in 2014; and the Patron’s Award by the Agha Khan Foundation, in recognition of his enduring contribution to the musical heritage of humanity, in 2019.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani tweeted on the passing of Shajarian, saying, “I am certain that the appreciative nation of Iran will keep this popular artist’s name, memory and his work alive in their memories. May his soul rest in peace.”

Shajarian is survived by his wife, Katayoun, his three daughters Raheleh, Mozhgan, Afsaneh and two sons, Homayoun and Rayan.