Lebanon

Experimental rock meets Arabic poetry, traditional dabke dance meets some of the country’s greatest voices: over one weekend, Lebanon’s vibrant and multifaceted culture reveals how it sounds and pulses today

Lebanon
Lebanon © Maurice Brand / Alamy

Description

Lebanon’s rich history is made up of countless layers. Past and present intertwine here in complex and often seemingly contradictory ways: modern skyscrapers rise alongside Roman ruins; mosques, Maronite and Armenian churches form a dense fabric of religious diversity. Culture plays a special role, especially in times of conflict: as an anchor in life, as an expression of identity and as a platform for exchange and reconciliation. Whenever circumstances allow, French chansons drift once more from cafés, Arabic maqams from teahouses, while electronic beats pulse through the clubs of Mar Mikhael late into the night.

The Elbphilharmonie’s four-day Lebanon festival offers a glimpse into this world. Opening the programme, the six-piece band Sanam takes audiences into the heart of Beirut’s music scene, where experimental rock meets Egyptian sounds and Arabic poetry. Dance takes centre stage with Rayess Bek, who transforms recordings of the traditional line dance dabke into an audiovisual experience through electronic processing and projections. Classical Arabic instruments such as the long-necked buzuq and the oud are reimagined by Farah Kaddour and Charbel Rouhana, opening up entirely new soundscapes. And singers Abeer Nehme and Tania Saleh, two of Lebanon’s most celebrated voices, share personal stories that reflect the richness and diversity of their homeland.

Supported by the Freundeskreis Elbphilharmonie + Laeiszhalle e. V.

Events of the festival

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