Sarmini, whirling dervishes cast musical spell at ROHM
Muscat: In a concert that lasted over three hours instead of the slated hour, Syrian singer Omar Sarmini, accompanied by whirling dervishes, impressed the largely Arab audience Friday night at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM).
Sarmini is a master of tarab, Arabic music, which aims to reach people on an emotional level. He studied Quran recitation from a young age, and religion heavily influences his music, as does poetry. His passion for the music and topics of which he sings was evident when he performed, as he often had a smile on his face and seemed inspired to go well beyond the set time.
For many Western patrons of the ROHM, Sarmini’s music may not have been familiar, and given that much of it sounds repetitive, some seemed to lose interest rather quickly.
Yet, whether or not one understood it, Sarmini transcended the language barrier and it was clear that he was singing the most beautiful verses of the Holy Quran, and poetry about nature and love. One also couldn’t help but be impressed with Sarmini’s clear, strong voice, and by his ability to hold long notes without catching his breath.
Sarmini was accompanied by 13 musicians, some of whom played traditional Arabic instruments including the oud, kanun, rek (tambourine), nai (flute), and tabla (drum). All of the musicians faced the audience, which was lovely since one could watch their techniques. The tabla player was especially fun to watch because at times he would flip the instrument in the air, catch it and continue playing.
It was wonderful to see traditional Arabic instruments being played at the ROHM, but unfortunately at times the oud and kanun were inaudible because the drums, string instruments and chorus overpowered them. When the percussion section was silent, it was lovely to hear the tinkling of the kanun and beautiful oud.
Perhaps, the ensemble would have been better off without microphones, especially considering that the ROHM has state-of-the-art acoustics.
Joining Sarmini and his ensemble on stage at the end of each act was a group of whirling dervishes, the Mawlawi Darwhich dancers. The Sufi dancers are supposed to spin to the music, much of which is based on the poetry of the mystic Sufi Rumi, until they are in a spiritual trance that they believe helps them connect to God.
Initially, five dancers appeared on stage dressed in black robes with their arms folded over their chests. They stood on the stage for several minutes as the anticipation built before they began slowly spinning. As the music sped up, so did the dancers, their feet rapidly flashing in circles under their robes.
At the end of the second act, the dancer reappeared, eagerly awaited by the audience. This time their black robes were open, a sign that they were closer to rebirth and religious understanding. As the music began, the dancers, now six on stage, began swaying and tilting their shoulders. After several minutes of the same movement, they took off their black robes, revealing their big, long white skirts underneath.
Again, they started spinning slowly, but as they got faster, their skirts opened up into wide circles floating out around them. They spun faster and faster, opening their arms, touching their shoulders and folding their arms over their torsos before repeating those movements.
They were really fascinating and almost mesmerising to watch, but sadly they seemed too choreographed and not emotional enough. Their movements didn’t come across as personal or very inspired, but clearly staged since their arms were all in sync.
When Sarmini, his ensemble and the dancers finally finished, there was an immediate standing ovation, so clearly this first Arabic concert for the second half of the ROHM’s inaugural season was a hit, especially among the Arab fans!
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