My birthday gift — Memories of Alhambra

Observer

23-05-2025

For my birthday, my best friend Dalia got us two tickets to a show called Memories of Alhambra, performing on the May 9. We were both looking forward to enjoying a flamenco show, like the many others we had seen on stage in the past few years. However, once we arrived at the venue, things didn't go as planned. The tickets didn't indicate which stage the performance was on, so we, along with many other spectators, had to walk almost ten minutes from the main stage to the smaller one.
This situation was similar to last year with the Trio Joubran performance. I wondered why they couldn't specify on the tickets where exactly to go. This time, it was frustrating for Dalia, who was dressed in full flamenco attire, from the hair flower to the ruffled dress and uncomfortable heels. She had to endure the long walk to the other end.
At the doors, we were delayed for five minutes as the security guards debated whether to allow her huge traditional Spanish fan in. They had to call their supervisor, who then had to call his superior before finally allowing us in with the fan. I jokingly reminded Dalia that fans are considered lethal weapons in Chinese action movies, so she should understand the security concern.
Finding our seats in the balcony level was another challenge, as it was too high and made us dizzy trying to sit down. The show began with a poem by an Omani poet from the 1800s, followed by Arabic songs that were not related to the Andalusian era the show was supposed to be based on. The songs included an Egyptian song from the 1930s, a Levant song usually sung by prisoners, a few Moroccan songs that were difficult to understand and finally, a popular modern Omani song to end the show.
Dalia and I exchanged looks of disbelief, as it would have been easy for the director of the Arabic part of the show to use Fairuz's famous Andalusian Muwashahat, which we had learned by heart in Arabic and music classes in school.
The show was divided into different scenes representing areas from the Alhambra fortress, but without the show brochure explaining the significance of each, they all blended into one big act. There were intervals with an Omani narrator trying to connect Andalusian culture with Omani culture, but it came across as shallow due to the lack of historical or cultural links.
It would have been better if he recited famous Arabic poems from that era or explained the different acts. The most enjoyable part of the Arabic music was the Omani oud player, who was impeccable.
The Spanish part of the show, including the dances and costumes, was perfect. However, they made a mistake by using dirty mirrors to reflect the movements of a dancer, making it hard to see due to the smudged surface. Strangely enough, my mom, who had watched the show the day before, had the same complaint.
The thunderous applause at the end indicated that the show had achieved its purpose: providing entertainment for expats unfamiliar with Arabic culture and Arabs too proud of their past glories to notice any difference.
Memories of Alhambra was a hopeful musical fusion production that attempted to satisfy many tastes but lost authenticity along the way. Ironically, after the show, Dalia and I had dinner at a Syrian restaurant where we enjoyed a classic Arabic recital of songs that we had grown up listening to and deeply appreciated over time.
BLURB
The Spanish part of the show, including the dances and costumes, was perfect. However, they made a mistake by using dirty mirrors to reflect the movements of a dancer, making it hard to see due to the smudged surface.