"Empress of the Arts"
By Darius Kadivar
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Empress Farah's deep interest and personal involvement in the arts have been largely responsible for Iran's many cultural movements and her frequent visits to art exhibitions and performances gave fresh incentive to all Iranian artistic activities. She supported young Iranian artists through her personal endeavors, and was a driving force behind a number of specialized art museums and other projects to preserve and publicize ancient and traditional art and architecture. Should we mention the two main spheres of action of Her Imperial Majesty in Iran, it would certainly be the one of culture and that of the emancipation of women. Between her wedding to the Shah and the fall of the monarchy, women played an increasingly important role in public life.


The Shy Art Student in Paris was to conquer the Emperors Heart and become the First Persian Queen to ever be crowned in 1967.

Parliament deputies, senators, ministers, ambassador, lawyers, judges etc., women were in all high national and local instances and occupied important positions in all areas of the administration. The emancipation of women as well as the economic and social reforms, which took place deeply, modified the structures of Iranian society. As Third Wife of the Shah ( succeeding to Fawzia, and Soraya) She was the only one to be ever crowned Empress.

The former Art Student in Paris was a keen painter, and very much interested in the works of modern Artists. Nevertheless the Empress' beauty, class in search of a new inspiration during the swinging 60's many young Pop Artists, such as Andy Warhol, or Haute Couturiers and Jewel makers like Christian Dior , Arthus Bertrand or the then young and creative Yves Saint Laurent:, were to see in the young and beautiful Farah Diba and "former Art Student" a new "egerie" and "Ambassadrice de Charme et d'Elegance" (aka "Ambassadress of Charm and Beauty" )

As one of the most Elegant couples of the 1960's the Shah and Shahbanou were a subject of scrutiny for photographs especially during their State visits, often stealing the Show to their hosts as was the case during their State visits to the Kennedy's in the early 1960's

06.jpg Left The Royal couple on a State visit to Washington DC with the Kennedys and Left to Right Empress Farah, and the Queens of Netherlands Juliana, Charlotte, and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain mid 1960's.

The Empress' sense of communication, availability and simplicity was also earning her fame as "The Working Empress"
She was also behind the creation of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children known as "Kanun va Parvaresh" which was later to open a Film section which were to propose some of the future Iranian Film Directors such as the famed Abbas Kiarostami among others.

Among the various cultural achievements under the patronage of the Empress one can note that of the Restoration of Old Palaces such as Golestan, or Saadabaad, but also National monuments from Shiraz' Persepolis to Isfahans Tchehel Setoun. The Restoration of an Old Caravansarai, into a Hotel known as Hotel Shah Abbas was also to become a favorite place for tourists visiting the Enchanting City of 1001 Nights. The latter was to become famous for the settings of the Agatha Christies 1974 Thriller with Charles Aznavour, Stephane Audran, Sir Richard Attenborough and Oliver Reed among others.

 The Beautiful Shah Abbas Hotel was an old Caravansarai. It was restored and the furnished was partially inspired by
those of the Persian Monarchs in Persepolis. DR. Farhang Mehr prominent scholar, Zoroastrian and Chairman of Pahlavi University was incharge of the restorations.

Also the completion of the Roudaki Hall Opera House in 1967, nearly ten years in the building, filled a major gap in Tehran's cultural life by providing a modern opera house and concert hall equipped with the very latest theatrical and electrical devices. The hall, built under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts was named after the blind 10th century poet Roudaki, the first great classical poet of Iran, and provides accommodation for audiences of up to 1,600. The architect was a Persian American, Dr. Eugene Aftandilian, who studied in Iran. The floodlit marble entrance foyer incorporates the traditional Talar motif. Behind, towers the mass of the main building.

In 1966 Robert de Warren was appointed artistic director of the National Company, which performs at “Roudaki Hall Opera House” in Tehran, and the “Iranian National Ballet” was formally founded in 1967 by Nejad Ahmadzadeh at the time of coronation festivities in Tehran. For this occasion many respected artists such as Hehudi Menuhin, Elizabeth Schwartzkopf and ensembles including Grands Ballets Classiques de France, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, ... visited Tehran and the Roudaki Hall. Later guest producers included William Dollar, Ivon Pattersen, Anne Heaton, Vakhtang M. Chaboukiani and others. A varied repertoire was created and the Ministry of Culture and Arts partially sponsored the company. Collaboration with American and European dance establishments in cities such as New York, Paris, London and Brussels started. In 1969 Rudolf Nurejev and Margot Fonteyn visited Iran and set up the ballet of Le Corsaire on the national scene.

The Roudaki Hall was also to host the International Film Festival of Teheran and its Famous Golden Ibex was to honor the Film profession. Orson Welles was to receive a particular tribute and Life Achievement Golden Ibex Award in the mid Seventies for the his entire career.

In this Autumn 1995 picture, Farah Pahlavi is seen at the Sorbonne on the occasion of the Bicentenial of the Institute of France. The only woman of the and its youngest foreign associate, the Empress is surrounded here by French academicians in full regalia. © Photo courtesy Impress - Paris