National Arab Orchestra
On the Shoulders of Giants: Arab Women in Music
Directed by: Michael Ibrahim
February 10, 2018
Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
Ana Albi Dalili
Composer: Mohamed il-Qasabji - Originally sung by Layla Murad
Vocalist: Lubana Al Quntar
Audio produced by: DAVESCHALLACOUSTIC
Video produced by: hawkmedia.us
Violins: Layth AlRubaye, Eylem Basaldi, Megan Gould, Laura Harada, Frances Hostetter, Emad Ibrahim, Insia Malik, Fr. Dn. Bassam Nashawati, Roberto Riggio, Katie Van Dusen, Andrea Vercoe, Sachiyo Yoshimoto. Cello: Khaled Khalifa, Double Bass: Jonathan Hammonds. Oud: Victor Ghannam. Qanun: Tony Barhoum. Nay/Director: Michael Ibrahim. Electric Guitar: Edward Gedeon. Synthesizer: Haitham Zbib. Percussion: Ryan Paul Gates, Roger kashou, Gilbert Mansour, Karim Nagi, Tareq Rantisi, Dr. Gursharan Singh Sandhu.
Layla Murad (1918-1995) was a leading lady of the Egyptian musical film from the late 1930s to 1950s. Murad was the daughter of successful Egyptian singer and synagogue cantor, Zaki Murad. Arriving in Cairo in 1927, Murad received early training under the auspices of Badi’a Musabni, a notable patron of aspiring singers and dancers, and herself a famed dancer with her own theater troupe. Badi’a’s well-know musical hall, Salat Badi’a, served as an informal school for young performers such as Murad. Badi’a would program evenings of variety shows at her hall, which would center around the performance of a female singer. Murad made her performance debut at one such event. Following the trajectory of many performers who came through the doors of Salat Badi’a, she eventually found success in the film industry. Murad’s film debut came in 1938, when she sang and acted alongside famous composer and film star Muhammad Abdel Wahab in Yahya al-Hub. Her popularity and film glory escalated during her collaborations with her husband, actor and film producer Anwar Wajdi. Layla Murad was known for her rich and virtuosic singing, on par with Umm Kulthum, and at times was even preferred by younger listeners over her rival.
Lubana Al Quntar comes from a Syrian family that is deeply rooted in classical Arabic music. She is related to singer/actress Amal Al Atrash (known by her stage name, Asmahan) and her brother, renowned composer and singer Farid Al Atrash. These connections influenced her musical path and played an important role in her decision to seek a career as a professional singer. Born in Syria, she began singing at an early age and had an unusual gift for singing challenging sung poetry from childhood. Today Lubana performs a wide a range of repertoire within the Arab music canon which include music from the classical, contemporary, folk, and pop genres. Her expressive voice allows her to add luster and richness to the various singing styles. In addition to traditional Arab song, Lubana studied opera and became the first Syrian opera singer to attain international recognition, as she appeared in concerts throughout Europe. She returned to Syria to head the Department of Opera Singing and launched the Department of Classical Arabic Singing at the Syrian National Conservatory. This was a ground-breaking event because, for the first time, students could study both operatic and traditional singing at an accredited institution. She established the Arabic Music Singing Ensemble that performed across the Middle East. She came to the United States in 2012 and has since performed in numerous venues across the country in addition to her European performances.
To find out more about the National Arab Orchestra visit our website at www.NationalArabOrchestra.org or email us at [email protected]
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