Meet Saira Peter, the ‘first’ Sufi opera singer

Saira Peter Sufi is an opera singer.

Saira Peter of Karachi showed her singing talent at an early age during church and community events, but she had no formal musical training as a child.

Saira moved to London after completing her first Masters degree and began studying Western classical music.

He completed both BSc (Hons) and MSc (Distinction) in Physical Chemistry from the University of Karachi, followed by an MA in History from Queen Mary University of London.

Saira Peter, a British citizen, is officially recognized as the ‘world’s first’ Sufi opera singer. She is the director of NJ Arts London, a multicultural performing arts centre. She is also the founder of Saira Arts Academy in Karachi.

Saira is trained in western classical vocals by musician Paul Knight. He studied ragdari from Chitrarupa Gupta (pupil of Pandit AT Kannan and Geeta Banerjee) and Ustad Fida Hussain Khan (Patiala gharana). Saira has given solo western classical performances in UK, USA, Germany, Turkey and Pakistan.

During 2016, he performed for the first time in Pakistan at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi, after which he performed at important national venues including Mohatta Palace, Awan Sadr Islamabad, Governor House in Karachi, Al Hamra Art Center in Lahore.

National Council of Arts Islamabad and Lahore He is regularly invited by the High Commission of Pakistan, London to sing at official functions.

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Saira Peter was the judge and then the chief judge of the finale of the Pakistani reality series Voice of Sindh for two consecutive seasons.

In September 2021, he performed a well-received solo set at the International Sufi Music Festival, Konya, Turkey, on the birthday of Sufi poet Maulana Rumi. Saira Peter has given solo western classical performances in UK, USA, Germany, Turkey and Pakistan.

Saira is in great demand as an OST (Original Soundtrack) singer for prime time television dramas.

Saira Peter identified music as a historical medium, and while studying Western classical music, she conceptualized music as a way to bring Sufi peace poetry to the global stage.

In 2015–16 he worked with Sufi coach Paul Knight to compose several Sufi opera songs based on English translations of poetry by Shah Abdul Latif Bhatai.

He was well received by diverse audiences in the UK, USA and Pakistan.

She is currently working with a team of British artists to produce the ‘World’s First Full-Scale Sufi Opera’, a musical stage drama based on the story of Umar Marvi, one of Shah Latif’s ‘Sat Surmiyas’.