Abu Dhabi – The name Rahbani is enough to cause goosebumps for any fan of Middle Eastern music, and this year, Abu Dhabi Festival is celebrating that magical effect.
In tribute to the late Rahbani Brothers, Assi and Mansour, acclaimed composers Ghadi and Oussama Rahbani have produced a piece that marks the brothers’ milestones, from 1950 until Mansour’s death in 2009.
The show, which takes place at the Emirates Palace on Monday at 8pm, was commissioned for the 10th edition of the Abu Dhabi Festival, and includes dances from plays written by the brothers.
Filled with music from the Lebanese legends, the performance promises a taste of the Rahbani world and will be a dazzling treat for their fans.
In an exclusive interview with tabloid!, Oussama Rahbani said the production took almost six months to complete and required international collaboration.
“It’s a huge production and it lasts for a whole week because there is also an exhibition featuring manuscripts and score sheets with the brothers’ handwriting, as well as pens, and [musical] instruments they used,” Oussama said.
The exhibition can be viewed at the Emirates Palace at no charge, and runs till March 31.
Describing the performance, Oussama added, “Ghadi and I picked lots of wonderful songs because we wanted to present something special -- so there will be music from Mansour, music from the Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra, I’ll be playing the piano, there is a [20-member] choir, and seven of the best voices in the Middle East, which came together for the first time.”
The singers include Fadia Al Hajj, Elle Khayat, Simon Obeid, Heba Tawaji, Ghassan Saliba, Ronza and Nader Khoury.
The performance combines love songs, patriotic songs, duets, a medley of dabke, as well as stanzas.
“We picked music that marks [the brothers’] career,” the composer explained. “We discussed [the selection] with singers to see what fits, and came up with a good combination, and we wanted to make a crescendo for the concert.”
Oussama started working on the project alongside Ghadi when they were personally contacted by organisers of the Abu Dhabi Festival.
“[The festival director, Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo] wanted to pay tribute to the Rahbani family and she wanted to show the new generation, and how we’re working to carry on the name, and our obstacles. So she came to us and I suggested we bring lots of people [into the project],” Oussama said.
While he expressed his enthusiasm about the production’s debut, Oussama admitted it took a lot of hard work, which was made even tougher with the Ukraine Orchestra being based in a different country.
“It was very hard work because you always have to be on time, rehearse a lot, bring everything to Abu Dhabi, and we had to work with the orchestra, which is already busy with their own work,” the musician said.
To further commemorate the brothers’ legacy, there will be a lecture on Wednesday March 27 in which Oussama will discuss how the new generation of Rahbanis honours the family name. The free-for-all lecture will be held at New York University Abu Dhabi, 6.30-8pm.
The Rahbani Brothers are widely credited for creating the Arab world’s own version of Broadway, as they created one of the most famous theatre companies, which paved the way for many performers and musicians. With Assi being married to Lebanese singing legend Fairouz, the couple collaborated to produce some of the most iconic musicals, and solo pieces in the history of Arabic music.
Tickets for the performance are still available for purchase from the Emirates Palace box office and online, Dh350 (Diamond), Dh250 (Pearl) and Dh125 (Balcony).
Sarah Diaa is a trainee at Gulf News
