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    A Voice Of Iran, Master Singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Has Died

    With a voice by turns soaring and haunting, Shajarian was considered one of his nation's treasures — and then ran afoul of the regime. He died Thursday in Tehran at age 80.
    by Anastasia Tsioulcas Oct 08, 2020 4 minutes
    Mohammad Reza Shajarian, onstage in Vancouver, Canada in 2008. The singer died Thursday in Tehran.

    An Iranian singer whose voice was regarded as one of his country's national treasures — and who then ran afoul of the regime — has died. Mohammad Reza Shajarian, a master performer who was hailed as one of NPR's 50 Great Voices of all time, was 80 years old. He earned the title of ostad — master — and was beloved for his commanding voice that could cry with haunting pain and soar with deep soul.

    He had kidney cancer for many years and had been hospitalized in Tehran. Several government-controlled Iranian media outlets announced his death on Thursday; one of his closest collaborators, the Iranian kamancheh player and composer Kayhan Kalhor, also confirmed his death to NPR.

    Shajarian's son anddrum player Homayoun Shajarian, wrote on Thursday afternoon in Farsi: "The soil of the feet of the Iranian people flew to meet the beloved." He also posted an empty black square on .

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