SYRIA: Famous Arab singers sing for Jerusalem in Damascus, Syria

Record ID: 279822

  • Title: SYRIA: Famous Arab singers sing for Jerusalem in Damascus, Syria
  • Date: 10th March 2010
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (MARCH 1, 2010) (REUTERS): NEWS CONFERENCE OF THE OPERETTA BANNER SAYING IN ARABIC "Jerusalem" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NASSIR SHAMMA, IRAQI MUSICIAN, SAYING: "The script was written five times because I wanted an image in my head about Jerusalem that I wanted to deliver. A transparent, love and deep image that can live after the conflict. The conflict will
  • Embargoed: 25th March 2010 12:00
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  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVA33YTZVCGPABEKDGRB5LE0KSU4
  • Story Text: Syrian and other Arab singers participated in an operetta dedicated to Jerusalem on Thursday (March 4, 2010) in the Syrian Opera House in Damascus.
    The operetta titled "Jerusalem" was composed by Iraqi musician Nassir Shamma and written by Palestinian Poet Rami Yussef.
    Shamma said he started to work on the melody a year ago. He said he is hopeful the conflict will one day come to an end, and he wanted this operetta to be remembered when the occupation is over.
    "The script was written five times because I wanted an image in my head about Jerusalem that I wanted to deliver. A transparent, love and deep image that can live after the conflict. The conflict will finish one day. Any occupation in the world has an end. I want the project to live after the occupation," said Shamma.
    Syrian singers Mayyadah al-Hinnawi and Sabah Fakhri, Iraqi singer Saadoun Jaber and Tunisian singer Lutfi Boushnaq, were the singers who agreed to participate in the performance for free, as their way of making the performance a gift to Jerusalem.
    According to event organisers the cost of the project was around 35.000 U.S dollars, and many of the performers waived their fees for the event to go ahead.
    Syrian Singer Hinnawi spoke of her hopes for the situation to improve.
    "The possibilities are so limited. Nobody took money. We were talking about this. They do not have the budget for the editing and direction. We hope things get better". She said.
    Syrian band Aram also participated in the event, and their performance was well received by the audience who crowded in to the opera house to show their solidarity with Jerusalem.
    The performance was held at a time when the Israeli government launched a plan to include holy sites in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem as part of an Israeli national heritage plan.
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