From the serene and beautiful to the hypnotic and physical, this concert brings together two very different interpretations of the poetry of Mevlana Rumi, the 13th-century Persian scholar and mystic whose work had a huge impact on Islamic culture and spiritual Sufi music.

Few artists bring life to Rumi’s poetry quite like Parissa. One of the most revered Iranian singers performing today, her striking vocals portray the full range of emotions in Rumi’s words, tapping into the spiritual qualities of his work.

Capturing in a totally different way the ecstatic joy of Sufi music, the Meshk Ensemble are one of the world’s finest whirling dervish groups, a sect of Turkish Sufis descended from followers of Rumi, who spent much of his adult life in Konya, Turkey. They perform the mystical sema ceremony, where dancers spin in circles, drawing hypnotic patterns on stage that are echoed by entrancing music played on traditional Turkish instruments, and building to a rousing crescendo.

Concert details

Concert: Parissa + Meshk Ensemble

Date: Saturday 1 October 2016

Venue: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS

Starts: 7.30pm

Admission: £20-25 plus booking fee (*£3 booking fee per online transaction, £4 by phone. No fee when tickets are booked in person).

Barbican members can get a 20% off ticket prices, and Young Barbican members enjoy a reduced rate of £15 (both subject to availability).

More info and tickets: barbican.org.uk/music