Abdelwahab

A symphonic journey through the music of the father of modern Arabic music, Mohamed Abdelwahab, with the amazing Fatma Said and the brilliant Nader Abbassi.

Mohamed Abdelwahab (1901-1991)

Mohamed Abdelwahab is considered the father of modern Egyptian music and is one of the most famous figures in Egyptian and Arab history. A singer, composer, and actor, he was referred to as “the Arab Beethoven,” “the Arab Mozart,” or even “the Arab Frank Sinatra.” Thanks to his songs and compositions, whether romantic or patriotic, he became the greatest musical figure in the Middle East.

Abdelwahab at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Featuring Fatma Said & Nader Abbassi

Mohamed Abdelwahab was a great admirer of the world of classical music having drawn endless inspiration from the likes of Beethoven, Verdi, Tchaikovsky or Schubert just to name a few. The concert at Drury Lane is a homage to this wonderful inspiration that produced an immortal heritage of beautiful music.

Through the perspective of The Abdelwahab Estate, and the mesmerising voice of Egyptian Soprano Fatma Said, the concert takes the audience through symphonic reinterpretations of a fragment of Abdelwahab’s incredibly rich musical journey. The performance will feature the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by the brilliant Nader Abbassi. Bringing this event to life is Mona Khashoggi who, for years, has specialised in reviving cultural stories from the Middle East and bringing them to international audiences.

The programme revisits some of Abdelwahab’s iconic songs, in addition to masterpieces he composed for other Arab legends such as Umm Kulthum or Abdelhalim Hafez, and instrumental pieces that perfectly embody his love of classical music. Page 1 of 2 Headlining this concert is award-winning Soprano Fatma Said who has grown up to Mohamed Abdelwahab’s music and has considered him a great influence throughout her career. Her stunning renditions of “La Mosh Ana-l-Abki” (أبكي إللي أنا مش ل (or “Kan Agmal Youm” (يوم أجمل كان (are just a few examples of her admiration for Abdelwahab and the deep connection she feels to his music.

The same can be said about Nader Abbassi who has worked on numerous projects with The Abdelwahab Estate. He has greatly contributed to bringing together the world of classical music and the works of Abdelwahab, following in the footsteps of “The Composer of Generations” who pioneered and championed the fusion between Western and Middle-Eastern music throughout a career that spanned close to a century.