Lebanon, UAE, KSA, Jordan... Our selection of cultural events to attend this weekend
Every Thursday, we'll handpick the cultural happenings across the Middle East that are actually worth your time, whether it's a Beirut book launch, a rooftop concert in Amman, or an experimental film screening in Tunis. Consider this your weekly shortcut to what matters in the region's buzzing cultural scene.
Starting Thursday, the city of Ehden (in Zgharta) kicks off its annual "Ehdeniyat International Festival," giving everyone a chance to run away from the sweltering Beirut heat and take refuge in North Lebanon's evergreen mountains. Famed pianist Guy Manoukian will be there to christen weeks of performances by local and international artists like Abeer Nehme and our moms' favorite, Kadim al-Sahir.
You have until August to catch Caracalla's rendition of 'One Thousand and One Nights,' a story as iconic as the dance crew on stage. Known for their ruthless attention to detail and commitment to perfection, their dancing promises to transport you through each tale's endless twists and turns.
Catch them at Theatre Caracalla, Horsh Tabet. For tickets and details, click here.
This weekend in Al Quoz, Dubai, Ayyam Gallery's multimedia exhibition "Wavering Hope" continues to explore the different facets of Syrians' collective trauma. How do 14 years of civil war and decades of cruel rulers impact a people? And in the aftermath of conflict, is there space for hope? The 12 artists on display try to answer these questions and make space for optimism, no matter how fragile.
For details, click here.
In the same neighborhood, artist Nazgol Ansarinia is bringing you the streets of Tehran with her exhibition "Instruments of Viewing and Obscurity" at Green Art Gallery. Ansarinia zooms in on Iran's urban sprawl and Brutalist architecture, turning them into points of departure through which to question state and social control, in a world where the house is an extension of the body and the window that of the eye.
This month, Ithra, known as the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran, is hosting its annual July festival, offering a program packed with something for every age and interest. When it's too hot to do anything else, skip the beach and catch the children's activities this week, or pick up a chessboard, paintbrush, or calligraphy pen to create your own fun.
Check the full program here.
If Ithra's too much of a drive, Al-Ula in Medina Province is offering an equally immersive experience of exhibitions, shows and activities sprinkled around the city, so you never run out of things to do. And if somehow nothing entices you, strolling through the larger-than-life naturally formed sculptures in the desert landscape would be enough to keep you occupied.
Check the full program here.
This weekend, painter Laila Shaw's "Voices from Gaza" continues to take center stage as part of the artist's reflections on her homeland's violent destruction. Shaw invites us to walk along the walls of Gaza, through layers of graffiti, political slogans and symbols of resistance, building a landscape of resistance as emotional as it is visual. What once represented the cornerstones of where she lived are now being used as calls against erasure and exile.
The exhibition is on display at the Contemporary Art Platform, Shuwaikh Industrial, Kuwait. For details, click here.
In its first weekend at Orfali Art Center in Amman, Jordan, painters Ashtar Nasralla and Hiba al-Lami explore people's connections with each other and nature, and how the two are often interchangeable. Though the paintings are faceless, they still lure you in to feel the bond of the figures standing behind the blue and green trees; a feeling both experimental and human.
Cairo's landmark Mashrabia Gallery is welcoming back artists, new and old, who have shaped its journey and turned it into a hub for local contemporary art. Their exhibition is not a retrospective but rather a new beginning in a genre that is always evolving.
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L'Orient-Le Jour
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At 'Ehdeniyat,' Abeer Nehme reaches 'saltana'
While the temples of Baalbeck drew festival-goers to the spectacular "Carmen" staged by Jorge Takla, Ehden offered its wooded cocoon to Abeer Nehme, arguably one of the most beautiful voices in the Arab world. A "specialist in all styles," the Lebanese diva once again showcased her vocal and cultural cosmopolitanism. From Egyptian classical to tarab, through Asmahan, the Rahbanis, French songs and Anglo-Saxon pop, she integrated into her repertoire personal songs that speak of love, culminating with a song in Syriac as a tribute to Ehden, which retains a dialect accent of this extinct language, preserved only in the Maronite liturgy. Pure joy, tenderness in song To sing about love in front of a spirited audience at the Ehdeniyat festival, where the stage is set amidst a majestic fir forest, Nehmeh is supported by a choir and her orchestra led by Marc Abou Naoum. In a simple black sheath that is subtly low-cut, contrasting with the deep red of her lips, her appearance is brightened by the unique smile she offers her audience — a blend of childlike joy and tenderness. Behind her, her name shines in golden letters against a backdrop of blue lights. Throughout the show, stunning projections added to the hypnotic magic of the moment. With the first notes of "Inta," the great classic by Mohammed Abdel Wahab, the audience is already captivated, connecting with the lyrics on a personal level. She continues with a long program that is both impressive for her audience and almost acrobatic for her voice, which spans all registers. Her soulful notes in English on "Simple Things" evoke Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. She confidently uses her agile soprano on the tarab of " Lamma bada" and Piaf's " Hymne à l'amour," generating enthusiasm whose echo resonates in the surrounding mountains. At times, especially during a mashup, dancers from the Carel Wardini Dance Academy performed a contemporary choreography on stage. On the giant screen that makes her tiny silhouette appear larger, one can sometimes see her reach the saltana — that nearly altered state of total mastery and fusion with the sound that also infects the audience, especially during the trance of "Chou Bhessellak." One of the highlights of the concert was a love song in Syriac, set to the popular tune of " Tallou hbabna tallou" in operatic style. It was dedicated to Ehden, the last village with the characteristic Zghorti accent of its people, whose "a" and "e" sounds are similar to the "o" sound — a reflection of the Aramaic roots of this dialect, which preceded Arabic as the region's common language. She would have liked to add Armenian to Syriac Backstage, she told L'Orient-Le Jour that she never rehearses her voice except on the day of a concert. "It's the worst thing to do, but I don't find the time. In this job, we run and travel nonstop," she says, expressing her gratitude to the large team around her, without whom nothing would have been possible. One might expect her to be exhausted and drained after an hour and a half of nonstop singing, which is physically demanding, but she leaves as fresh and smiling as when she first stepped on stage. "It's the audience that carries me, feeds me, gives me the energy to give again and again," she says. Discussing her Syriac song, this musicologist — an expert in ancient ethnic music and a kanun master trained at USEK — mentioned she wanted to include an Armenian song in the program that evening. However, the director objected, citing the program's length, so it was postponed. Abeer assures it will be included later. Krikor Jabotian's stage outfit We were joined by designer Krikor Jabotian, who explained his stylistic choices for this particular concert. "Everything started from the necklace," the creator detailed, who is also known for his baroque jewelry. The gold necklace features pearl shapes with irregular outlines and varying sizes. Jabotian paired it with earrings, and the diva's pearlescent nails completed the look. "Abeer doesn't need a dress to make her shine," the designer said. "She shines with her own light." Hence, the radical simplicity seen in the black dress is the result of long, collaborative conversations between the creator and the singer. "We then acknowledged the vastness of the stage and the large crowd that would be coming. That's why I decided to add a black satin cape with just the right volume to accompany her movements and amplify her silhouette from a distance," he added, admitting he was inspired by something Maria Callas-like when designing the ensemble. Since we were in Ehden, the diva gently bid farewell to her audience amidst heartfelt ululations, softly continuing to sing between goodbyes and gratitude. She turned towards the peaceful forest surrounding her and finally stepped down from the stage, almost with a hint of reluctance.
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Create an account to see the results of the poll You can enjoy 3 free articles by creating an account Email Address Password I would like to receive special offers from L'Orient Today as well as selections of the best articles. Register By creating an account, you agree to the terms and conditions of use and our privacy policy. Register Or register with: Facebook Google Log in to your account to see the results of the polls E-mail Password Log in I forgot my password Log in with Facebook Log in with Google Franco-Palestinian musician and singer-songwriter Saint Levant (Marwan Abdelhamid) knows how to capture a moment. He has mastered the art of embodying major causes — whether or not he fully subscribes to them — to expand his reach. 'He knows his audience: a digitally savvy, mostly young women attuned to identity narratives and raw emotion. It's a generation shaped by social media, where the symbolism of a Palestinian clementine becomes a filtered orange peel, and historical knowledge comes in fragments on TikTok or Snapchat, while books gather dust on the Levant speaks directly to this audience — like he did Saturday night at Batroun's old port during the coastal city's festival. More than 3,000 attendees, including Lebanese, Palestinians and Arabs from across the region, gathered with kuffiyehs, watermelon and red... Franco-Palestinian musician and singer-songwriter Saint Levant (Marwan Abdelhamid) knows how to capture a moment. He has mastered the art of embodying major causes — whether or not he fully subscribes to them — to expand his reach. 'He knows his audience: a digitally savvy, mostly young women attuned to identity narratives and raw emotion. It's a generation shaped by social media, where the symbolism of a Palestinian clementine becomes a filtered orange peel, and historical knowledge comes in fragments on TikTok or Snapchat, while books gather dust on the Levant speaks directly to this audience — like he did Saturday night at Batroun's old port during the coastal city's festival. More than 3,000 attendees, including Lebanese, Palestinians and Arabs from across the region, gathered with kuffiyehs, watermelon... You have reached your article limit When power pivots overnight in the Middle East, context is everything. Stay informed for $0.5/month only! Already have an account? Log in
