Historic Duet of Farhad Darya and Ariana Saeed in Toronto: Nowruz and Eid al-Fitr with the Flavor of Afghan Music
Toronto – For the first time, two well-known Afghan musicians, Farhad Darya and Ariana Saeed, took the stage in Toronto, Canada, for a special event celebrating Nowruz and Eid al-Fitr. They performed several songs in duet. This event, hosted by the “Barbad” arts company, marked the first official collaboration between these two artists and was met with widespread audience appreciation.
In this concert, a selection of Farhad Darya’s works, featuring lyrics from prominent Afghan poets such as Qahar Aasi, Sami Hamid, Ghafour Liwal, Wahab Majir, and Taher Hejran, was performed. The linguistic and stylistic diversity of these songs, ranging from local music to romantic and folkloric styles, reflected the cultural breadth of Afghan music and offered a new experience for music lovers from the country.
Farhad Darya, commenting on the overwhelming reception of his performances, described the experience as “energy for life,” adding, “The understanding, friendship, and closeness of millions of Afghans living in their homeland, especially during occasions like Nowruz and Eid, is of special importance to me.” He also explained that some of the songs for Nowruz and Eid had been created years ago, and now there was an opportunity to perform them once again.
One of the highlights of the program was the performance of the song “Watandari” with lyrics by Sami Hamid and music composed by Farhad Darya. Additionally, Darya performed the song “Gham Aziz” with lyrics by Qahar Aasi as a solo, and then the song “Nishkar wa Nabat” with lyrics by Wahab Majir was performed as a duet with Ariana Saeed.
Farhad Darya explained that this piece was inspired by the local music of northern Afghanistan, particularly the tradition of “war poetry,” in which two singers engage in a dialogue where they sometimes praise each other and other times reflect on cultural and social challenges with humor. This approach made the performance of “Nishkar wa Nabat” not only musically enjoyable but also a live representation of the cultural interaction between the two artists.
Ariana Saeed, expressing her excitement about collaborating with Farhad Darya, said that this experience was more than just a performance; it was an opportunity to bridge the classical and contemporary music of Afghanistan and strengthen the sense of unity among Afghans both inside and outside the country.
The audience at the Toronto hall responded enthusiastically to the performances of these two artists, and the harmony and diversity of musical styles created an unforgettable experience for them. This concert not only celebrated Nowruz and Eid al-Fitr with the rich flavor of Afghan music but also marked a milestone in the history of artistic collaboration among Afghan migrants.
