LEBANON-MARCEL KHALIFE Lebanese musician, Marcel Kahlife performs at Beiteddine after 30 years

Record ID: 144689

  • Title: LEBANON-MARCEL KHALIFE Lebanese musician, Marcel Kahlife performs at Beiteddine after 30 years
  • Date: 6th August 2015
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MALE LEBANESE MUSICIAN, MAHMOUD, SAYING: "The concert was amazing, Marcel was great as usual. Lebanon's festivals, with the current situation, are great and people are happy. This is Lebanon, this is the joy we want in Lebanon." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LEAVING BEITEDDINE ART FESTIVAL VENUE AFTER THE CONCERT
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA7OGIAR1DFVBSR2GKBNP3L6YUU
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Lebanese Musical legend, Marcel Khalife put on an electrifying performance at the Beiteddine Art Festival on Wednesday (August 5) after 30 years since his debut there.
    Playing hit performances from "Rita wal Boundoukiyya" to "Oummi", the audience were clearly exhilarated by the show.
    The event took place on the third night of the long running festival at the Beiteddine historic palace, in Lebanon's Chouf Mountains, now into its 30th year.
    Khalife opened the first ever festival in 1985, at which time the small Mediterranean country was in the middle of a civil war.
    Khalife has visited the festival as a visitor over the past few decades, but this year he decided to perform at Beiteddine amid a difficult security situation in Lebanon with the on-going Syrian crisis across the border. He emphasized the importance of using music as a medium for promoting unity and peace.
    "In a vortex of small and big wars, I believe music is maybe the salvation; maybe creativity, beauty and imagination can release people from this brutality we are living in," said Khalife, whose music is known for its focus on freedom and nationalism, with some of his songs becoming anthems to recent revolutions in the Arab world.
    The Lebanese musician was joined by the Al-Mayadine ensemble in a performance which lasted two hours. Khalife played several of his compositions and songs to a delighted audience of almost 5,000 attendees.
    "It was extra-ordinary, the set-up of Beiteddine is amazing as we know it, and he (Marcel Khalife) is getting better and better during the past 30 years. This is Lebanon," said one audience member, Fida.
    Khalife, who was born in Lebanon in 1950, rose to fame in 1975 with songs like Ummi (Arabic for My Mother) and Jawaz al-Safar (Arabic for Passport), based on Mahmoud Darwish's poetry.
    Over his long spanning career, the Lebanese composer, singer and oud player has received many awards and accolades, including the Palestinian Award for music in 1999 and the UNESCO Artist for Peace awards in 2005.
    There was an overwhelmingly positive response by attendees of the concert.
    "The concert was amazing and the songs of Marcel Khalife are so beautiful. In the circumstances that Lebanon is experiencing, we need to give people entertainment and joy, which Marcel Khalife has done," said festival goer, Nizar.
    "Hats off for the concert today, it just can't be, it was so amazing. As you can see, we are all leaving saying "wow!" " added Lebanese student Joanna Mourkos.
    This festival is among several taking place in Lebanon over the summer period and is considered one of the biggest and most popular in the country, along with Baalbeck and Byblos. Over 50,000 people visit the festival each summer.
    "The concert was amazing, Marcel was great as usual. Lebanon's festivals, with the current situation, are great and people are happy. This is Lebanon, this is the joy we want in Lebanon," Lebanese musician Mahmoud, who attended Khalife's concert, told Reuters TV.
    Beiteddine Art Festival runs till August 31 with a line-up including upcoming shows from the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Iraq's Kadim Al Sahir and 'Bar Farouk', a musical show reviving the golden era of Beirut.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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