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A performance that connected the world at the Expo 2020 Dubai

Fri 19 Nov 2021    
EcoBalance
| 2 min read

DUBAI: Italy’s Radiodervish and the Arab Orchestra of Nazareth crossed continents and borders at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre at the Expo 2020 Dubai, combining dreamy Arab melodies with western music, and captivating an audience from around the globe.

The concert, coinciding with Expo 2020’s Tolerance & Inclusivity Week, was kicked off by the Arab Orchestra of Nazareth playing Baeed Annak (Far from You), a song by Egyptian legend Umm Kulthum, accompanied by Radiodervish’s Italian singer of Palestinian origin Nabil Salameh. The orchestra’s stringed instruments combined with the Italian band’s guitars and drums, captivating an audience from around the globe.

Catering to the tastes of a diverse audience, Salameh sang in various Arabic dialects, including Levantine, Egyptian and Iraqi, in addition to Italian and Spanish. The concert also included solo performances by both halves of the collaboration. The Arab Orchestra of Nazareth’s set included music by legendary Lebanese singer Fairuz and Radiodervish, who have formed three decades ago and performed their own songs in Italian.

Nabil Salameh said, “We carry the new face of multicultural Italy, and we are trying to convey it to the world, not only through our songs and well-known music but also by playing in a duet with other bands, to blend different languages, cultures, and colours of music, which can be considered a common language that unites the world together.”

He explained that although his band’s members are a mix of nationalities, they are united by a love of art and music, and convey a message calling for coexistence and communication with others.

Dr. Nizar Radwan, Director, Arab Orchestra of Nazareth, said, “We don’t view our music as merely a combination of two different music styles, but rather cooperation between different civilisations and cultures. The result is an artistic tableau whose evaluation is left to the audience. The success we’ve found has encouraged us to repeat the experience with the same band and others, in Italy and countries around Europe, during the last 15 years.”

The orchestra was established in 1991 by Dr. Radwan’s father, composer Suhail Radwan, to represent Palestine at home and abroad.

Describing the orchestra’s presence at Expo 2020, Dr. Radwan said, “We felt we were at the centre of the whole world. This event is a great way for us to introduce ourselves to a diverse audience coming from across the planet. We were also fascinated by the thorough organisation, the numerous, diverse events, and the huge site.”

Source: Expo 2020 Website


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