The 32nd edition of the Beiteddine Art Festival kicked off this Saturday, with swing and jazz singer Omar Kamal giving a sophisticated performance, filled with both Arabic and English songs, medleys and covers that had the audience singing along and dancing in the aisles.
The young Palestinian artist may be new on the international music scene but he has been making waves with his unique takes on classic songs by Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson, as well as Arab legends Mohammad Abdel Wahab and Fairouz and many others. Joined by the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, vocalists Daisy Chute and Miranda Heldt and his Big Band from London, led by musical director Quentin Collins, Kamal served up a suave and elegant set, transitioning between soft and smooth to rich and powerful vocals.
Omar Kamal Performance
The concert, set in the gorgeous purple-and-blue-lit palace courtyard, began with a stunning rendition of Sinatra’s “Fly Me to The Moon”. Other highlights of the show included a mash-up of Fairouz’s “Ya Ana Ya Ana” sung to the tune of Mozart’s “Symphony No. 40”, all of The Beatles top hits mixed into one song, and a fun rendition of “L’italiano” by Toto Cotugno, sang with Chute and Heldt; Kamal even came down to dance with ladies from the audience during part of his performance.
Kamal’s piano skills were also showcased, as he chose to respond to the crowd’s call for an encore with his cover of Fairouz’s “Libeirut” and his hit single “Mawtini”. The concert, set in the gorgeous purple-and-blue-lit palace courtyard, began with a stunning rendition of Sinatra’s “Fly Me to The Moon”. Other highlights of the show included a mash-up of Fairouz’s “Ya Ana Ya Ana” sung to the tune of Mozart’s “Symphony No. 40”, all of The Beatles top hits mixed into one song, and a fun rendition of “L’italiano” by Toto Cotugno, sang with Chute and Heldt; Kamal even came down to dance with ladies from the audience during part of his performance. Kamal’s piano skills were also showcased, as he chose to respond to the crowd’s call for an encore with his cover of Fairouz’s “Libeirut” and his hit single “Mawtini”
Omar Kamal Performance
The Beiteddine Festival is running until 12 August and has many more shows to entertain this summer, such as Kadim Al Saher, Magida El Roumi and the Bejart Ballet Lausanne group. Coinciding with the festival are two exhibitions, open for festival goers to see before the performances begin. These are “Whispers of Time”, a private collection of period Lebanese costumes, and “The man, The Thinker, The Humanist”, a showcase of the life of Kamal Joumblatt, marking the passing of a century since his birth.
The next performance, by concert performer Jordi Savall, takes place 5 July and features the music Ibn Battuta heard during his visits to royal courts or small villages in Africa, Arabia and the Far East. Kamal has set the precedent for this festival season and with so much happening, you won’t want to miss out on these enthralling performances, taking place in such a stunning setting.
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