Festival du Monde Arabe presents

Beirut Flashback: the feverish decades – Ranine Chaar

In a colourful and thrilling flashback, magnificent Lebanese singer Ranine Chaar launches her first FMA appearance with a celebration of the musical memory of Beirut, featuring the masterpieces of the greatest artists who marked the soul of this flagship city of the Arab world in the second half of the 20th century.

A crossroads of civilizations, languages, cultures and arts, bursting with life and moving to the beat of fiery musical nights, exuberant evenings and tumultuous stories, Beirut has propelled leading lights such as the Rahbani brothers, Fairouz, Sabah, Wadih el Safi, Melhem Barakat and many others onto the world’s top stages while also welcoming and launching the careers of great stars of the Arab world such as Georges Wassouf, Mayada el Hennawi and Samira Saïd. Like Cairo, this age-old city quickly became a launching pad for recognition, glam and glory, a gateway to success!

Daughter of the great singer Abdelkarim Chaar, immersed since infancy in the great classics of Arab-Oriental music, Ranine soon showed a sensitivity and an undeniable talent for music and song that she has developed throughout a highly prosperous career. Excelling both in the performance of classical Arab song and of opera, with a pure voice that wanders with disconcerting ease between jazz and tarab, soufi and pop, she has stood out in particular for her principal role in the opera Kalila wa Dimna, developed for the Aix-en-Provence Festival. She has also performed on the stages of the most prestigious festivals such as the Beiteddine Art Festival and the Jerash International Festival.

Backed by outstanding oud player Nazih Borish and surrounded by virtuoso Montreal musicians, Ranine will offer a moving performance of vital pieces from the years of glory, taking us on a brief journey to the heart of the frenzied nights of immortal Beirut.

For information and tickets: www.placedesarts.com  514-842-2112 or 1-866-842-2112

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