World Premiere: ‘The Excuse of the Nightingale’ by Rokus de Groot The 15th Biennial Iranian Studies Conference will open on August 5 at 14:30 in the historic Domkerk in Utrecht with the performance of The Excuse of the Nightingale, a new composition by Rokus de Groot. The piece will be brought to life by tenor William Knight, flutist Marieke Franssen, and cellist Eduard van Regteren Altena. About the Piece The composition is based on The Conference of the Birds, a masterpiece by the medieval Persian poet Farid ud-Din Attar, using the English translation by Dick Davis and Afkham Darbandi. This famous parable follows a flock of birds on a treacherous journey through seven valleys to find their king, symbolizing their true nature. Initially, most birds are reluctant to join and raise various objections. Among them is the nightingale (bolbol). He argues that he cannot leave his great love, the rose (gol), even for a single night—nor can she accompany him, as she is rooted to her place in the garden. However, the leader of the birds, the hoopoe, counters that the rose is not a reliable anchor for one’s life. She blooms today only to wither tomorrow; and while she seems to smile with you, she may actually be laughing at you. The composition closes with an expressive, wordless vocalise, leaving it a mystery whether the nightingale is crying out in defiance or in ultimate surrender to the hoopoe’s wisdom.