TEHRAN -- The first album from “Theater Music,” a collection by Iranian composer Saeed Zehni dedicated to the preservation and presentation of music created for the stage, was unveiled at Tehran City Theater Complex in a ceremony bringing together leading figures from Iran’s theater and music communities.
The unveiling ceremony, held as part of the ninth edition of “Fridays at Tehran City Theater,” was attended by Atabak Naderi, Director General of Performing Arts; Babak Rezaei, Director General of the Music Office; Asghar Khalili, Director of Tehran City Theater; producer Arsham Modabian, and a number of theater and music artists.
The album, produced by Modabian, marks an effort to document a significant yet often overlooked part of Iran’s performing arts history: the music that has shaped theatrical experiences across decades.
Opening the event, theater translator, educator and actor Dariush Modabian examined the historical relationship between theater and music, describing the two art forms as inseparable throughout history. He noted that music in theater has traditionally supported dramatic expression, giving rhythm, atmosphere and emotional depth to performances while remaining in service of the stage.
Tracing the development of theatrical music from ancient traditions through the post-Renaissance era, Modabian said the evolution of “music for theater” created a space in which composers developed original works based on dramatic texts and directors’ artistic visions.
Veteran actor and director Iraj Rad also highlighted the role of music as a defining element of theatrical expression, saying that unlike other forms of music, theater music creates atmosphere and evokes images in the audience’s imagination, shaping the emotional impact of a performance.
He pointed to Iran’s own traditions, including opera and Ta’zieh, where music has long played a central role in creating rhythm, tension and emotional resonance.
In a recorded message, writer and director Shokrkhoda Goodarzi praised Zehni’s approach to composition, describing him as an artist who carefully extracts musical elements from dramatic texts and creates a dialogue between contemporary music and Iran’s historical musical traditions.
Theater scholar and researcher Farhad Nazerzadeh Kermani said Zehni’s knowledge of music opened new possibilities for Iranian theater and emphasized the 
importance of developing musical theater and related genres in the country.
Composer and theater music association member Shervin Abbasi described Zehni’s long-term contribution as rare, noting his continued presence in both artistic and professional activities surrounding theater music.
Director and actor Amir Dezhakam, speaking in a recorded message, recalled decades of collaboration with Zehni, describing a creative process in which music emerged directly from actors’ emotions, movements and the rhythm of performances.
Alireza Gilouri, managing director of the Theater House, praised Zehni’s commitment to the theater community, saying his efforts have extended beyond composition into supporting artists and professional organizations.
Speaking at the ceremony, Zehni said the release of the album had been a long-standing dream dating back to the late 1980s, when he hoped theater music would gain a recognized place within Iran’s performing arts landscape.
He paid tribute to artists and mentors who shaped his career, including Hamid Samandarian, whose trust in Zehni’s ability to compose music for theater marked a turning point in his artistic journey.
Zehni described the album as more than a collection of musical pieces, calling it a record of decades spent alongside theaters, artists, performances and memories.
The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of the first album from the “Theater Music” project in the presence of veteran theater figures and artists.