KARACHI: London-based Pakistan-born Sufi opera singer Saira Peter cast a musical spell with her performance at the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) on Friday.

Saira is the founder of a new musical genre Sufi opera, a fusion of Western and Pakistani classical styles.

On Friday, she presented some of the most mesmerising singing at the Zia Mohyeddin Theatre to a packed-to-capacity auditorium.

The eveningkicked off withNapa graduateZeeshan Zafar performing on piano. Then a documentary on Saira Peter was presented.

She began the evening with a Sufi Opera piece called `Tears of Marvi`, followed by English, Italian, French and German opera pieces.

She then moved on to some Pakistani songs and ghazals including `Chand Diya Totia`, `Baray Baemurawwat Hain`, `Sanso ki Mala`, `Anta Umri` (an Arabic song sung originally by legendary Egyptian singer Umme Kulsoom), `Mun Nishan-e Karwan` (in Persian), `Sayuni Mera Mahi`, `Mujh se Pehli si Muhabbat`, `Chahat main kia Dunyadari`, `Abhi to main Jawan hoon` and `Mera Humnafas Mere Humnawa`, besides a few others.

The audience loved her Sufi Opera work and praised her for her unmatched artistry.