The first World Music Festival, which is currently held at Mono Theater in Beirut in collaboration with Mozar Shahin, consists of eight performances concluded next Saturday.
“The attempt to portray the musical performances of the young Lebanese artists, extending support for them and highlighting their skills were the reasons for organizing the festival,” the daily al Nahar cited Shahin as saying at a press conference last Monday.
For his part, director Matar said, “the festival marks the beginning for other festivals in addition to opening doors for scheduling the performances of musical troupest within the play staging season.”
The festival was opened by performance for Monday Blues Band which is comprised of known businessmen who meet every Monday evening somewhere in Baabda area near Beirut to play Blues and jazz music.
The actor and music composer Balsam also participated in the festival along with his musical troupe consisting of six singers along with Magi Abu al Lamaa. Abu al Lamaa who played eastern and western music from the heritage and the Lebanese folk music along with Vassilli Rolsh on the piano is the only musician in Lebanon who can play the te de Fl pan flute.
Today the Real Deal Blues Band will play the American Blues music. Elie Risq will sing Thursday evening songs from the Lebanese heritage written by brothers Rahabani and Zaki Nassif. In the second part he will sing some songs by the renowned late Egyptian musician Mohammed Abdel Wahab including La Mish Ana Illi Abki (No it is not me Who Cries), Ulli Aa’mallak Eih (Tell Me What to do For You), Sit al Habayeb (Lovers Grandmother), Sihret Minnoh al Liali (Nights Stayed Awake Due to Him), Emta al Zaman (when Will the Time) and others.
Friday evening will witness performances by Nahawand troupe, which will play Lebanese folk music. The festival will be concluded by music to be played by Sudasi Arabisk Troupe for the brothers Rahabani, Zaki Nassif, Waleed Ghulmiyyeh, Sayyed Darwish and various Mexican and Spanish folk music Albawaba.com
