TEHRAN — Traditional mourning ceremonies from Iran’s western province of Lorestan, regional devotional music, and a performance of the passion play Bazaar-e Sham highlighted the sixth evening of Kheymeh-ye Honar (“Tent of Art”), an annual Muharram cultural festival held at Tehran’s City Theater complex.
The event opened with the ceremonial senj-o damam percussion performance by the Avaye Sahel ensemble, a ritual traditionally associated with Muharram commemorations in southern Iran. 
The evening continued with performances by the Nasl-e Soleimani choir from Varamin and a poetry recital by Reza Yazdani, reflecting the festival’s blend of music, literature and religious performance.
One of the night’s central performances featured the Chamar and Rara mourning ceremony from Lorestan, presented by Hussein Moradi. The traditional ritual, rooted in the mourning customs of communities in Iran’s Zagros region, was followed by an appearance from the Naghmeh-haye Aflaki choir from Khorramabad.
The evening’s theatrical centerpiece was a performance of the ta’zieh production Bazaar-e Sham, directed by Ali Saber. Veteran actor and theatre director Davoud Fathalibeigi joined the cast in the role of Yazid, portraying one of the most significant episodes in the post-Ashura narrative. A mourning recitation by Majid Abdollahi and a wind orchestra led by Sina Zakaei concluded the musical program.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Muhammad Mehdi Ahmadi, senior adviser to Iran’s minister of culture and Islamic guidance and director-general of the ministerial office, described Kheimeh-ye Honar as an initiative focused on conveying the historical and cultural dimensions of Ashura through artistic expression rather than solely through religious ritual.
He said the festival brings together visual arts, calligraphy, music, theatre and poetry around a shared theme, stating that the integration of multiple artistic disciplines strengthens public engagement and enables audiences—particularly younger generations—to experience Iran’s rich artistic traditions through the lens of Muharram commemorations.
Now in its second edition, Kheymeh-ye Honar is organized by Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in cooperation with a range of cultural institutions. The festival runs through July 7 at the City Theater complex in Tehran, presenting nightly programs featuring traditional music, ta’zieh, visual arts, calligraphy, literature and regional mourning ceremonies inspired by the culture and history of Ashura.