Neil MacGregor: 2600 years of history in one object, the Cyrus Cylinder

Art historian and museum director Robert Neil MacGregor

A clay cylinder covered in Akkadian cuneiform script, damaged and broken, the Cyrus Cylinder is a powerful symbol of religious tolerance and multi-culturalism. In this enthralling talk Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, traces 2600 years of Middle Eastern history through this single object. (From TED)

"Opera Avicenna" by Michiel Borstlap

 

Michiel Borstlap

Aria 'Wandering Heart'



Aria "I'm Sharazad"



FINALE

Susan Scollay on Persian poetry

Susan Scollay

Susan Scollay reveals the beauty of Persian poetry and its vibrant tales of human and divine love. The classic love stories found in Persian poetry have been reflected in western culture, with parallels in the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare and in the lyrics of rock stars today. (From State Library of Victoria)