FRANCE: Syrian singer performs in Paris in honour of Egyptian legend Mohammed Abdul Wahab

Record ID: 781205

  • Title: FRANCE: Syrian singer performs in Paris in honour of Egyptian legend Mohammed Abdul Wahab
  • Date: 21st January 2008
  • Summary: BAHLAWAN HOLDING HIS OUD AND LEAVING STAGE OUD PROPPED UP AGAINST WALL AND BAHLAWAN SITTING BACKSTAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAFWAN BAHLAWAN SAYING "I received Mohammed Abdul Wahab's legacy while he was still alive. I truly felt it was my responsibility to carry on with this legacy when he died, and my responsibility became heavier. It is not only a legacy, you also have to
  • Embargoed: 5th February 2008 12:00
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  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAB7P8QSD3LPBMCQ6M8MBY6JT4A
  • Story Text: Syrian singer Safwan Bahlawan performed for the first time in France at the Arab World Institute in Paris on Friday night (January 18), delighting the audience with songs and music by the late Egyptian legend Mohammed Abdul Wahab.
    Bahlawan has dedicated his career to keeping stage performances of Abdul Wahab's music alive.
    Abdul Wahab, born in Cairo in 1910, died in 1990. Bahlawan fell in love with Abdul Wahab's music while the Egyptian artist was still alive, and took it upon himself to carry Abdul Wahab's legacy after the singer's death.
    He says the legacy is a great burden which he does not take lightly, and he has to work very hard to make sure his music and voice are up to a standard worthy of the legend's works.

    "I received Mohammed Abdul Wahab's legacy while he was still alive. I truly felt it was my responsibility to carry on with this legacy when he died, and my responsibility became heavier. It is not only a legacy, you also have to work constantly, zealously, one cannot be an heir to a legacy without being a hard worker," said Bahlawan before the Paris concert.
    Abdul Wahab was one of the leaders of the revival of Arabic music. He introduced non-traditional instruments like the contrabass or the violoncello to the Arabic classical repertory. He also introduced local Arabic dialects to his songs and mixed them with the classical Arabic which had traditionally been used in song lyrics. He also composed songs performed by Egyptian diva Oum Khalthoum.
    Members of the audience said Bahlawan's tribute to Abdul Wahab was a refined, simple and concise performance which he gave accompanied only by an oud, a Middle Eastern lute-like string instrument.

    "The oud and I are inseparable friends, it's like a sailor and his compass. For me, it's very important. With or without an orchestra, the oud is always with me. it's essential to express myself," Bahlawan said.
    The roughly 300 people who attended the performance in turn listened devoutly to Safwan's music and clear, deep and gentle voice, and applauded enthusiastically.

    "I now feel relaxed, specially after the stress of work. By coming here tonight, I feel liberated," said audience member Omar Madani.
    Moroccan singer Aicha Redouane was among those who attended the concert. She said she never missed an occasion to see Bahlawan performing.

    "Safwan's concert was a great performance. He sings on his own accompanied by one instrument only and he plays throughout the evening in front of a discerning audience," she said.
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