After almost a year of careful negotiations with the National Persian Art Gallery, the Columbia Valley Arts Council has secured a once in a lifetime showing of an ancient Middle Eastern artifact.

The legendary ‘Midnight Genie Bottle’ will be in the Columbia Valley for a two night show on October 20 and 21, said Gallery Curator, Jami Scheffer, who is over the moon with excitement at the upcoming presentation.

“This is the first time the magical flask has ever been allowed outside of Iran, and already a number of foreign dignitaries are on their way to try their hand at enticing a mythical genie out of the bottle during the limited engagement,” Scheffer said.

According to local legend, once a year the Midnight Genie can be enticed out of his bottle to grant some lucky person three wishes. The Genie can only be charmed out by dancing, and every year, for generations, thousands of Persians enter a lottery hoping to win a chance to shimmy and shake in front of the ancient artifact. Violent battles have often broken out in the past among the contestants; which is what encouraged Gallery officials to find a temporary home for the bottle away from its home country at the time when the genie may be conjured.

Believing in the existence of the genie is secondary, Scheffer added, as the very presence of such an internationally significant historical artifact has never occured in the province, or even the country, she said.

“All art is magic, one way or another. This event is the culmination of a lot of hard work and I am truly looking forward to hosting and displaying a piece of such international importance.”

Many wealthy dignitaries from overseas have either already booked their tickets, or are in the valley early to take part in the show. Scheffer confirmed that she has been contacted by two Sheikhs and a Sultan who will be performing their dances in front of the bottle during the two evening shows. In years past, one of these attendees was successful in enticing the genie out of the magical vessel, and did in fact receive three wishes. As part of the Middle Eastern theme, Pynelogs Cultural Centre will be transformed into an oasis for the event.

The Tale of the Midnight Genie

If the adventures in the Arabian Nights had been 1002 nights long, instead of 1001, you would have heard the incredible tale of ‘The Midnight Genie’. This genie was not trapped in a bottle, but he hid in one. Tired of constantly being besieged to grant wishes, curse enemies and find lost camels, the genie escaped into the solitude of a bottle refusing to come out. For thousands of years no one saw the magic jinn.

Then, one midnight, a ravishing princess was dancing on the sand outside of the cave where the genie’s vessel was sequestered. The pulsing rhythms of the dance, road the wind into the still air of the bottle. Something inside began to awaken. The genie grew curious. For the first time, in a long time, the enchanter was enchanted and left his dwelling to gaze upon the form of the dexterous dancer.

Smitten by the sultry seductress, the genie offered the princess three wishes. For her last wish, in hopes of repeating her good fortune, the woman wished for the genie to be forever enticed by dancing.  Whenever someone’s dance beat could match the rhythm of the jinn’s mood he would be obliged to leave his bottle and grant them three wishes. The magician had no choice. He did make the wish provisional though. The dancing could only entice him on the anniversary of the night that the princess first charmed him from his bottle.

So mark your calendars and polish up your dance moves, you won’t want to miss this event. For more information, or to book your tickets, please call 250-342-4423.

Columbia Valley Arts

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