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Vargha Mazlum

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki




Vargha Mazlum
Vargha Mazlum in 2022
Vargha Mazlum in 2022
Vargha Mazlum in 2022
Born (1969-11-12) November 12, 1969 (age 56)
Tehran, Iran
🏳️ NationalityItalian
🎓 Alma materLeicester University
💼 Occupation
Singer, violinist, songwriter and filmmaker
📆 Years active  1988 present
👩 Spouse(s)
Ildiko Kiss (m. 1997)
👶 Children2

Vargha Mazlum (born November 12, 1969) is an Italian singer, musician and filmmaker, best known as a co-founder of the pop band Light in the Darkness and as a film director of several documentaries including a biography on the life of Carole Lombard.[1]

Vargha Mazlum co-founded Light in the Darkness in 1988. Light in the Darkness was an Italian band that during the '80s performed on three continents and in over 30 countries, particularly in Eastern Europe. They released their first full-length album Just as a Flame in 1991, and after the original band's members disbanded in 1994, and with the new members, Light in the Darkness released their second album It's Just One.[2][3]

After the band split up in 1996, Vargha Mazlum continued his music career by joining the renowned international choir The Voices of Bahá and then once he moved to China he started to take an interest in filmmaking. In 2015 released the documentary about Liao Chongzhen,[4] a famous Chinese politician of the early 20th century, and in 2016 a documentary on the life of Carole Lombard. Other documentaries were released in the following years including 'The Story of Light in the Darkness',[5] 'Shaken by a Breeze from the Garden of God'[6]

Early life

Vargha Mazlum was born in Teheran, Iran. His father, Zatullah Mazlum, was a veterinarian researcher.[7]

Career

Theatre

Since his early youth, Vargha Mazlum was involved in performing arts and along with his siblings and other friends established in 1980 the theatre group called 'Il risveglio'. The group created its own shows, using a combination of music, voice-over and acting. The first show was concentrated on the concept of equality of men and women, then followed by one dedicated to world peace and finally, a parody inspired by the Italian singing Festival of Sanremo. They performed in theatres across many cities of the country including, Acireale, Chianciano Terme, Florence, Pistoia, Scalea, Abetone, Verona.

Light in the Darkness

Vargha Mazlum with Light in the Darkness

In 1988 Vargha Mazlum (violin), with his elder brother Olinga Mazlum (keyboards), Alessandro Giua and Victor Sobhani (guitars), Corrado Todrani (drums) and others formed 'Light in the Darkness'.[8] They first met in Perugia in the winter of 1988 to compose their first songs and had their first performance at the Italian National Teaching Conference in Rimini.

Vargha Mazlum with Light in the Darkness, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1990

The band had the peculiarity of having interchangeable background singers who would, from time to time, join the band on the various tours; key other members were, Vargha Mazlum's elder sisters, Emilia and Gloria, Giulia and Roberta Kheyrkhah, Jalan and Sharim Youssefian, Nadia Sobhani, Omid Varjavandi and Nima Sanai.[9]

In the spring of 1989, they held concerts in Perugia, Verona, Perugia, Catania, Bologna. During their summer tour of 1989, Light in the Darkness had their first introduction to the international audience at the European Youth Conference of San Marino. After the conference, the tour was followed by concerts in Portici and Paola. They returned to Portici again in September for a further concert and the year ended with another concert in Fiesole. Portici is one of the most densely populated cities in Europe and has been facing significant problems of social degradation resulting in crime and poor quality of life.[10]

In early 1990, they held concerts in Gela, Portici, Ischia, Velletri[11] and Verona. During their stay in Bari to prepare for the tour, the group was the victim of an attack by some drunk men, resulting in injury to their keyboard player, Olinga Mazlum. Nevertheless, the tour went on according to schedule starting with Campobasso, and following in Ljubljana (Slovenia), Zagreb (Croatia),[12][13] Portici, Ercolano, Catania,[14] Cagliari,[15] Sassari and ending in Bastia, in the island of Corsica, France for a Mediterranean conference attended by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum. In the fall they had concerts in Monza,[16] Velletri, Firenze, L'Aquila, Monza and Prato and then returned for the end of the year to Ljubljana and Zagreb.

In Ljubljana and Zagreb there was a very strong response from the public.[17] Particularly high was the interest from the mass media; various radio stations interviewed the band, some TV stations broadcasted live their concerts and many newspapers reported about their concerts. This brought them to become more international focused, particularly on the Eastern European countries that were coming out from a difficult time of regime change and where the population was particularly eager for a message of change and personal transformation.

In the spring of 1991 few more concerts followed in Italy, in Pescara and Firenze. Their third tour brought them to Poland with concerts in the cities of Gdańsk, Wroclaw and Kraków, and then to Romania, where they participated in the First Bahá'í Youth Conference of the ex-eastern block in Neptun. Then they returned to Italy with concerts in Portici and Acuto and then back to Romania to hold concerts in Timișoara[18][19] and Drobeta-Turnu Severin. In the fall of 1991, they took a break from touring to record their first album called 'It's just one'. Vargha Mazlum co-wrote and arranged some of the songs of the album.[20]

1992 started with concerts in Monza,[21][22][23][24][25] Ancona and Portici, followed by their fourth tour which brought them to some new Eastern European countries like Slovakia (with concerts in Bratislava, Trnava and Martin), Czech Rep. (with concerts in Znojmo, Kyjov and Brno),[26] Hungary (with concerts in Abaliget by the Lake Balaton,[27][28] Pécs, Békéscsaba and Szeged),[29] and Albania (with concerts in Tirana, Shkodër and Durrës). Albania had just opened to the west that year and faced a severe economic crisis. At the end of the year, the group was invited to perform at a prestigious worldwide event, the second Baháʼí World Congress, in New York. The band ended the year with some more concerts in Zagreb.

Light in the Darkness, 'It's Just One', 1994

1993 started with concerts in Italy in the cities of Rieti[30][31][32] and Verona. Their fifth tour brought them back to Albania with concerts in the cities of Patos, Berat, Fier, passing from Edirne (Turkey)[33] and then they headed to Bulgaria (Burgas, Ruse and Varna) and Romania (Costinești) passing through Edirne in Turkey. Mantua was their last Italian concert of 1993.[34] In early 1994 they returned for a few concerts in Croatia (Pazin, Poreč and Pula)[35][36][37] that were followed by a series of concerts in Italy, in the cities of Scandicci, Grosseto, Mantua,[38] Florence, Lucca, Livorno[39] and Campobasso. Their sixth tour saw them performing in Germany (Berlin, Zerbst,[40][41] Leipzig and Dresden), from where they headed to the Baltic states, performing in Lithuania (Ukmergė and Visiginas), Latvia (Jelgava) and Estonia (Pärnu).[42] One of their most famous songs 'Shape Europe' was released on the occasion of this tour, an anthem for Europe's youth to embrace and work for a better world.[43] The summer tour of 1994 was a watershed for the band. When the tour ended, many members quit the band and new members were invited to join. Although this second experience was short-lived, it still brought the band to a few more concerts that year, in Parma, Italy and brought them to record their second album 'It's just one'. Vargha Mazlum co-wrote and arranged most of the songs of the new album.[44][45]

Vargha Mazlum with Light in the Darkness, Parma, Italy 1994

In 1995, the 'new' band had few concerts in Italy in Voghera, Portoferraio, Bologna and Povoletto and embarked on its last tour that brought them to Slovenia (Skofja Loka, Ljubljana and Kranj), Lithuania (Kaunas,[46] Vilnius and Klaipėda) and Hungary (Zánka-Köveskál).[47] In the spring they had their last concert in Genoa and after, in the month of December, the group unanimously decided to split up.[48][49]

In 1996 though, there was a final revival, as they were requested to represent the International Bahá'í community in the United Nations Habitat II conference in Istanbul, Turkey. Light in the Darkness performed two more concerts, one in Bursa and one at the UN conference itself. For their collaboration at the UN conference, they received a certificate of appreciation from the organizing committee.[50]

Choirs

The Voices of Bahá on their 1997 European tour

After the split up of Light in the Darkness, Vargha Mazlum continued his musical pursuits taking the stage as a member of the International choir 'The Voices of Bahá'. Voices of Bahá is an internationally renowned choir led by conductor Tom Price,[51] who directed a 420-voice choir and 90-piece symphony orchestra for the second Baháʼí World Congress in New York in 1992.[52][53] Since then, they have performed in many countries, including Russia, Japan, United Kingdom, Korea, India,[54][55] Hong Kong, Singapore.[56][57][58] Vargha Mazlum sang in the choir as a bass, participating in their tours of 1996, with concerts in The Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Austria and Hungary. Then again in 1998 when they were accompanied by the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra[59] with concerts in Slovakia,[60] Spain, France, and Germany, also participating at the First International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition & Festival in Wernigerode.

Then again at The Voices of Bahá 2001 tour accompanied by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra starting with a concert in Hungary. The tour ended with the participation at the Second International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition & Festival in Wernigerode, Germany, winning a gold medal in the Folklore category and a silver medal in the Mixed choirs with compulsory piece category.[61]

He was also the general manager of their concert in Florence, Italy, which was part of their 1997 European tour. The concert was sponsored by Tuscany's regional government as well as at the provincial and city of Florence and the earnings were devolved to UNICEF. Some of the singers at the Florence concert were Dan Seals, Dash Crofts, Hooshmand Aghili, Ava, Red Grammer, Jamie Findlay, Rachel Price, Emily Price, Van Gilmer, Paul Seaforth.[62] In the same year, Vargha Mazlum assisted in the starting of a choir in the city of Mantua. After getting married, he moved to China where he continued his musical career in recording studios and produced over the years, sixty Chinese pop songs.

Film making

'Liao Chongzhen' documentary

While in China, Vargha Mazlum started experimenting with filmmaking by starting to integrate his music with the visual arts.

'Carole Lombard' documentary

One of his first works in filmmaking was 'Building better communities' released in 2013. 'Building better communities' is a short documentary in Mandarin, exploring with a series of interviews a new concept of community building that is permeating greater China's society. The documentary includes interviews to Chinese artists Cheng Lin and Khalil Fong.[63] In 2015 he released a documentary called 'Liao Chongzhen - A Bright Candle of Humanity'.[64] The film talks about the life of Liao Chongzhen, a Chinese official from the early 1900s whose whereabouts had been lost for decades. The documentary features the narration of Eva La Rue and the original soundtrack of Navid Hejazi. The following year he released 'New Learnings in Education in Africa' narrated by Emily Baldoni and produced for the Bahá'í International Community Office at the United Nations in New York for the United Nations conference on 'Education for Global Citizenship' that took place in Seoul, Korea in May 2016.[65]

The same year, Vargha Mazlum had his breakthrough with the documentary on the life of Carole Lombard.[66][67][68] Carole Lombard, one of the stars of Hollywood's golden era, was married to Clark Gable and her tragic death at a very young age has been the source of speculation for years. Her life is a source of inspiration for writers who regularly publish every year books about her. The documentary explores the different experiences that Carole Lombard faced throughout her life and how they helped her develop her character. It also shares very rare documents that give us a deeper insight into her private life, far from what was pictured in the glamorous magazines of the time. Once again, for this film, Vargha Mazlum collaborated with Eva La Rue who narrated the documentary and with Navid Hejazi, who wrote the original soundtrack. The documentary is also featuring the original song 'Thou Art my Dominion' by Shameem Lee Taheri.[69]

After returning to Italy, Vargha Mazlum continued making films. 2021 was a prolific year with the release of three documentaries: 'The Mystery of God' on the occasion of the worldwide commemorations of the centenary of the passing of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, 'The Story of Light in the Darkness'[70] which is a music documentary retracing the story of the musical band, and 'Shaken by a Breeze from the Garden of God'[71] which recounts the story of seven siblings and their vicissitudes in the backward cultural conditions of Iran in the last century.

The following year he produced another documentary called 'Early History of the Bahá'í Faith in China'. The documentary introduces the early history of the emerging faith in China, the first non-Chinese to travel there and how the first Chinese welcomed them; and then finally the second part of the documentary shares the lives of some of the outstanding first Chinese believers like Cai Yunxiang, the founding father of Tsinghua University, Liao Chongzhen and Hilda Yen.[72]

Personal life

Vargha Mazlum has been married to filmmaker Ildiko Kiss in September 1997 and they have two sons, Daniel and Adrian.

Filmography

Year Film Credited as Notes Ref.
Director Producer Writer Editor
2012 Building Better Communities Yes No Yes No produced also with Chinese narration [73]
2015 Liao Chongzhen – A Bright Candle of the Light of Humanity Yes No Yes Yes produced also with Chinese narration [74]
2016 Carole Lombard Yes Yes Yes Yes [75]
2021 The Mystery of God Yes No Yes Yes produced also with Italian narration [76]
2021 The Story of Light in the Darkness Yes Yes Yes Yes produced also in Italian [77]
2021 Shaken by a Breeze from the Garden of God Yes Yes Yes Yes produced also with Italian narration [78]
2022 Early History of the Bahá'í Faith in China Yes Yes Yes Yes produced also with Chinese narration [79]

References

  1. ↑ "Vargha Mazlum, author at BahaiTeachings.org". BahaiTeachings.org. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  2. ↑ "Arts Dialogue : Bahá´í Association for the Arts". bahai-library.com. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  3. ↑ "The Story of Light in the Darkness". Baha'i Blog. 2021-06-13. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  4. ↑ Liao Chongzhen - A bright candle of humanity. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  5. ↑ The story of Light in the Darkness. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  6. ↑ Shaken by a breeze from the garden of God. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  7. ↑ "FTO". chemport-n.cas.org. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  8. ↑ The Bahá'í World Centre (1998). The Bahá'í World 1986-1992. Haifa, Israel: The Universal House of Justice. p. 449-450. ISBN 978-0-85398-994-3. Search this book on
  9. ↑ "Members". mazlum.it. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  10. ↑ "In Italy, tutorial assistance and spiritual support help young people find new horizons". One country. December 1993.
  11. ↑ Giovanni Fava (3 November 1990). "Anche a Velletri una comunità Bahá'í" (in italiano). La torre.
  12. ↑ "Peace concert" (in hrvatski). Vecernji list=27 July 1990.
  13. ↑ "Bahajci dolaze" (in hrvatski). Vecernji list=3 August 1990.
  14. ↑ "Concerto di Bahá'í per la pace" (in italiano). La sicilia=17 August 1990.
  15. ↑ "Concerto Bahá'í per la pace a Buoncammino" (in italiano). L'unione sarda. 19 August 1990.
  16. ↑ Maria Organtini (11 March 1990). "Presentato...L'amo e il pesce" (in italiano). Corriere di Monza e Brianza.
  17. ↑ Gordana Grgas (5 January 1991). "Hajde da see volimo!" (in hrvatski). Vjesnik.
  18. ↑ "Comitate din Timisoara" (in Romanian). Timisoara. 21 August 1991.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
  19. ↑ "Ifjusagi hangverseny" (in magyar). Uj szo. 22 August 1991.
  20. ↑ Just as a flame. November 1993.
  21. ↑ Maria Organtini (25 February 1992). "I giovani al Cenacolo" (in italiano). Corriere di Monza e Brianza.
  22. ↑ Fulvia Buzzoni (18 February 1992). "Giovani e artisti" (in italiano). Il Gazzettino.
  23. ↑ Maria Organtini (5 March 1992). "Musica, arte e poesia per i giovani del Cenacolo" (in italiano). Il Cittadino.
  24. ↑ "L'arte da appuntamento alla primavera" (in italiano). Il giorno. 5 March 1992.
  25. ↑ Tina Beretta (10 March 1992). "Musica e poesia, pittura e fotografia" (in italiano). Corriere di Monza e Brianza.
  26. ↑ "Light in the Darkness". BAFA. December 1992.
  27. ↑ "Ingyenes koncert a szinhaz" (in magyar). Uj Dunantuli naplo. 7 August 1992.
  28. ↑ O.J. (13 August 1992). "A Fold egy orszag, s az emberek az allampolgarat" (in magyar). Del Magyarorszag.
  29. ↑ Hungary. September 1992.
  30. ↑ "Maggio musicale a Frasso" (in italiano). Il Tempo. 19 May 1993.
  31. ↑ C.A. (19 May 1993). "La classica tra lo 'Zeffiro' e il 'Maestro'" (in italiano). Paese sera.
  32. ↑ "Concluso il maggio musicale" (in italiano). Mondo sabino. 5 June 1993.
  33. ↑ Nadir Alp (5 August 1993). "Italian Bahai gencleri Edirne" (in Türkçe). Trakya Dogus.
  34. ↑ "Just as a flame". BAFA. March 1994.
  35. ↑ LM (5 January 1994). "Giovani musicisti entrano in Istria" (in italiano). La voce del popolo.
  36. ↑ S.B.I.S.M. (5 January 1994). "Javni seminar o zivotnu u oblitelj" (in hrvatski). Glas Istre.
  37. ↑ O.M. (8 January 1994). "Koncert Grupe 'Light in the Darkness'" (in hrvatski). Glas Istre.
  38. ↑ NC (24 April 1994). "Baháʼí anti-razzismo" (in italiano). Gazzetta di Mantova.
  39. ↑ "I giovani Baha'i oggi in concerto per le vie del centro" (in italiano). Il Tirreno. 14 May 1994.
  40. ↑ Hartwig Lindner (26 July 1994). "Eindrucksvolles Konzert mit spirituellen Liedern" (in Deutsch). Anhaltinische Zerbster Nachrich.
  41. ↑ Hartwig Lindner (27 July 1994). "Was hesiSSt 'Einheit' auf italienisch?Eindrucksvolles Konzert mit spirituellen Liedern" (in Deutsch). General Anzeiger.
  42. ↑ Tuna Salumae (13 August 1994). "Parnus esinevad kontsertidega" (in eesti). Parnu postimees.
  43. ↑ The Bahá'í World Centre (1996). The Bahá'í World 1994-1995. Haifa, Israel: The Universal House of Justice. p. 263. ISBN 978-0-85398-990-5. Search this book on
  44. ↑ It's just one. June 1995.
  45. ↑ "Light in the darkness". Arts dialogue. September 1995.
  46. ↑ "Koncerto metu uzkulisiuose" (in lietuvių). Kauno diena. 28 August 1995.
  47. ↑ The Bahá'í World Centre (1997). The Bahá'í World 1995-1996. Haifa, Israel: The Universal House of Justice. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-85398-989-9. Search this book on
  48. ↑ "Unforgettable memories". Arts dialogue. March 1996.
  49. ↑ "Music and teaching". Forum. January 1995.
  50. ↑ "In Turkey, Habitat II forges a new partnership". One country. June 1996.
  51. ↑ PERUMAL, ELAN. "Musician travels the world to talk about science and religion". The Star. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  52. ↑ "Tom Price - Bahaipedia, an encyclopedia about the Bahá'í Faith". bahaipedia.org. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  53. ↑ "Week-long Festival of the Arts will showcase Bahá'í performers in New York in late June; major concert at Carnegie Hall included". Bahá’í World News Service. 2002-06-26. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  54. ↑ "Baha'i choir to sing Ravi Shankar's rare compositions". Hindustan Times. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  55. ↑ "'The Voices Of Baha' To Give Their First Performance In India". newkerala.com. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  56. ↑ "Voices of Baha to Perform in Kingston – Jamaica Information Service". jis.gov.jm. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  57. ↑ Rachael Price & the Voices of Bahá - Falta Amor. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  58. ↑ "About: Voices of Baha Choir and Orchestra". data.carnegiehall.org. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  59. ↑ a.s, Petit Press (2000-03-20). "Top Pick: Voices of Bahá - International Choir brings act to Bratislava". spectator.sme.sk. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  60. ↑ "Arts Dialogue : Bahá´í Association for the Arts". bahai-library.com. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  61. ↑ "Second International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition and Festival Wernigerode". interkultur.com. July 8, 2001.
  62. ↑ 01 - See the light. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  63. ↑ Building Better Communities 共建美好社区. May 15, 2012 – via Youtube.
  64. ↑ Liao Chongzhen - A Bright Candle of Humanity – via Youtube.
  65. ↑ "66th UN DPI/NGO Conference: 'Education for Global Citizenship: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Together'". United Nations. November 15, 2015.
  66. ↑ "A New Documentary about Actress Carole Lombard". Bahaiblog.net. 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  67. ↑ "Jane Alice (Peters) Lombard (1908 - 1942)". Wikitree.com. November 22, 2015.
  68. ↑ "Carole Lombard DVD". Sbt.ti.ch. November 15, 2015.
  69. ↑ Thou Art My Dominion. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  70. ↑ The story of Light in the Darkness. Retrieved 2023-01-13 – via YouTube.
  71. ↑ Shaken by a breeze from the garden of God. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  72. ↑ Wan, Zhaoyuan; Palmer, David A. (December 17, 2019). "The Cosmopolitan Moment in Colonial Modernity: The Bahá'í Faith, Spiritual Networks, and Universalist Movements in Early Twentieth-Century China". Modern Asian Studies. 54 (6): 1787–1827. doi:10.1017/S0026749X19000210. Unknown parameter |s2cid= ignored (help)
  73. ↑ "Building Better Communities 共建美好社区". Mybahaibook.com. May 15, 2012.
  74. ↑ "Liao Chongzhen: A Bright Candle of the World of Humanity". 9starmedia.com. May 1, 2015.
  75. ↑ "Carole Lombard—Iconic Actress, Humanitarian, Baha'i". Bahaiteachings.org. February 1, 2017.
  76. ↑ "The release of the film The Mystery of God". Bahai-library.com. November 12, 2020.
  77. ↑ "The Story of Light in the Darkness". Bahaiblog.net. June 13, 2021.
  78. ↑ Shaken by a Breeze from the Garden of God. October 11, 2021 – via Youtube.
  79. ↑ Early History of the Bahá'í Faith in China. April 3, 2022 – via Youtube.

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