Umm Kulthum
CAIRO – 6 April 2020: The Egyptian Ministry of Culture’s YouTube channel will present Umm Kulthum's hologram concert for the second time after the huge success of the first concert.
The hologram concert which is scheduled to be broadcast on April 7 and comes as part of the online initiative "Stay at Home ... Culture is between your Hands".
Minister of Culture Inas Abdel Dayem agreed with Minister of State for Information Osama Haikal to broadcast the initiative's program daily on the Egyptian TV channels.
Head of the National Media Authority Hussein Zain set a fixed date for the broadcast on the second channel at 9 p.m. starting March 25. Abdel Dayem launched the online initiative "Stay at home ... Culture is between your Hands" on March 24 at 9 p.m.
“The initiative aims to broadcast performances from the archives of national, contemporary and traditional arts on the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Culture and its different social media accounts,” Abdel Dayem explained.
The minister indicated that she is calling for the implementation of the precautionary measures aimed at preserving public health and safety through the citizens' commitment to social distancing and staying at home in light of the exceptional circumstances the country is going through.
Umm Kulthum's voice was quickly identified as unique, strong and vibrant and instantly recognizable. Her famous songs include “Enta Omri” (You are the love of my life), “Al-Atlal” (The ruins), “El-Hobb Kolloh” (all the love), “Ya Zalemeny” (You were unjust to me), “Ya Mes-harany” (You keep me awake all night), “Hayart Albi Ma’ak” (You confused my heart) among others.
In 1944, Umm Kulthum was granted the highest level of Order of the Virtues, ‘Nishan el-Kamal’ by King Farouk. After Egypt’s 1952 Revolution, the new military leadership attempted to prevent her from singing because of the award, but Gamal Abdel Nasser, a fan of Umm Kulthum, intervened and reversed the decision.
After the 1967 War, in which Israel occupied parts of Egypt, Umm Kulthum sang a series of songs that fuelled nationalism and pan-Arab sentiment. She also gave many performances in various Arab countries to raise money for the Egyptian army.
Umm Kulthum still lives on in the hearts of all her fans and her brilliant voice still rings in their ears. Her fans gave her the title "Kawakab Al-Sharq" (Star of the East). Umm Kulthum was considered the greatest Arab singer of the 20th century.
Her valuable belongings and old records and tapes were moved to the Umm Kulthum Museum at Manasterli palace in December 2001. The museum is a wonderful tribute to the singer's life.
Umm Kulthum’s spirit is felt in every corner of the museum. People have reported hearing her voice in the museum despite none of her songs were being played at the time. Only there, can one know the story of this dazzling Egyptian woman sticking to her silk scarf, which she could never do without during performances.
Umm Kulthum died on February 3, 1975, after more than a decade of health problems.
Baalbeck International Festival, the oldest and most prominent cultural festival in the Middle East, honored legendary Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum in its opening ceremony that took place on July 20, 2018 at the Roman Temple of Bacchus, Lebanon.
The opening ceremony, titled “Baalbeck Remembers Umm Kulthum”, honored the Arab world's greatest singer through a 90-minute combination of her most famous songs presented by renowned Egyptian composer and conductor Hisham Gabr.
The collection included "Seerat El-Hob" (Love’s Name), "Enta Omry" (You Are My Life), "Fakkarouni" (They Reminded Me), "Hayyart Albi" (You Confused My Heart), "Alf Laila Wa Laila" (One Thousand and One Nights), and "Aghadan Alkak" (Am I Going To Meet You Tomorrow?).
Comments
Leave a Comment