Manama: Some of the Arab world’s chart-topping male and female singers will be performing live in Saudi Arabia over Eid Al Fitr in a development that few people could have imagined a few months ago.
According to organisers, nine male and six female stars will perform in 10 concerts across three major cities, running from June 16 to June 23.
Riyadh, the capital, will host five concerts while the Red Sea city of Jeddah will have three and Dammam, the largest city in the Eastern Province, will feature two. All concerts are supported by the state-run General Culture Authority.
في الرياض تتجدّد روحي دائماً ... وهناك عائلتي الكبيره ... وهناك بدأت وهناك صوتي يعود طفلاً ليرمي نفسه في قلوب تعلَّقت أنا بها... أوَّل حفل جماهيري لي في حبيبتي الرياض وسنلتقي هناك في موعدنا لنجدّد الفرح #أصالة #العيد_في_السعودية pic.twitter.com/O7mhXqPaOf
— Assala (@AssalaOfficial) June 2, 2018
Egyptian singer Angham and Lebanese star Elyssa will open the shows with a concert in Riyadh on Saturday evening, while Majed Al Muhandas and Nabil Shuail will be in Jeddah on Sunday.
On June 18, Hussain Al Jasmi and Waleed Al Shami will give a concert in Dammam and Mohammad Abdah in Riyadh. Nawal Al Kuwaitiya and Dalia Mubarak will be singing in Jeddah on June 19.
According to the ticket purchase website, all tickets for the concert by Abdah have been sold out.
On June 20, Al Muhandas and Abdullah Riwaishid will give a concert in Dammam and Adala Nasri and Carmen Sulaiman in Riyadh.
Saudi sensations Rabeh Saqr and Abadi Al Jowher will be in Riyadh on June 21 and Rashed Al Majed in Jeddah on June 22.
Al Kuwaitiya will give the last performance in Riyadh on June 23, one day before of the long holidays marking Eid Al Fitr end.
Several of the singers have taken to social media to express their strong emotions about performing in Saudi Arabia.
“I am so excited to be part of the Eid concerts in Saudi Arabia,” Al Majed said. “It is great to be with a constellation of stars. I keep wonderful memories of how Saudis embraced me when I performed abroad in Dubai and Kuwait, but this time, it will be different. I am so proud to be performing in my country and this is such a unique sensation.”
Nasri said that she was looking forward to Riyadh, a city that holds a special significance in her heart.
“In Riyadh is my extended family. It will be my first concert in my beloved Riyadh. We will meet there to renew our joys,” she posted on her Twitter account.
