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World Performing Arts Festival 2005: No grand piano in city

* Former miss millennium here to help earthquake victims

By Shoaib Ahmed

LAHORE: Simona Barbera, an Italian pianist and singer, told Daily Times she could not play the piano in the World Performing Arts Festival because Faizaan Peerzada told her there was no grand piano left in Lahore. She said she would only sing. “I shall play the piano some other time,” she said with a smile.

She said she sang in an old dialect of a language very similar to Greek. “My songs are a blend of traditional and contemporary elements,” she said. She found Lahore amazing and said she was impressed by the wild landscape and tender people.

Former miss millennium Heather Schmid said she had come to Pakistan to help earthquake victims and the festival had provided her the opportunity. She said she had donated money to Edhi trust and the income of her photo shoots with Pakistani designers would go to earthquake victims as well.

The American pop singer said she was an opera singer and music was her passion, and added that she was working on her album, “The Goddess Within.”

Healther Schmid is based in New York City. A graduate of Boston University’s classical music programme, she learnt piano and performed throughout New England as a lyric soprano soloist. Her first self-written and self-titled CD “Heathers” is a pop/dance collection. She hosts a show called “The Industry” in America.

She is married to Rafay, a Pakistani whose family lives in Karachi. She also visited Pakistan in 1999.

Performances on Saturday: The festival continued smoothly on Saturday. American Consulate Principal Officer Brian Heath attended a reception in flutist Andrew Thomas’ honour and saw his performance in the open-air theatre. Andrew Thomas is a self-taught contemporary flute player born and raised in New Mexico whose album, “Changing Woman’s Blessings” was highly praised.

Polish Ambassador Bogdan Marczewski saw the Polish puppet theatre Tecza’s performance. The ambassador was pleased with polish artists performing in Lahore and said the ties between Pakistan and Poland would improve with more business and trade next year. He said 140 polish engineers with heavy machinery were working in the earthquake-affected areas.

TV Actor Shakeel from Karachi and singer Fareeda Khanum also attended the festival.

Tecza’s “The Ugly One” and Indian dancer Sharen Lowen’s performance were appreciated, while Rafi Peer Theatre’s “Nawab Sahib Qibla” attracted a large crowd.

Pakistani and foreign artists including Thomas Andrews, Iqbal Bahoo, Sher Ali and Meher Ali, Sher Miandad and Niazi Brothers entertained many on the Sufi Soul Night. A Czech music group experimented fusion with Sain Zahoor.

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