26 September 2021
The 30th Bahrain International Music Festival Kicks Of on the 2nd of October
Music arts from all over the world come to celebrate joy in Bahrain
On the 2nd of October 2021, the National Theater will host the official opening the 30th edition of the Bahrain International Music Festival, welcoming the beloved loyal lovers face-to-face after a whole year of lockdown caused by the pandemic. The festival will continue until 16 October and will dazzle its public by a joyful celebration attracting and blending world cultures from the Arab world and beyond, a musical rendezvous live from the Kingdom of Bahrain’s cultural sites. Indeed, the festival showcases various musical and lyrical performances ranging from folk arts, oriental singing, Latin rhythms and jazz alongside a number of interactive music workshops. This harmonious combination, delivered by our lineup of artists throughout the festival days, will be held from the Bahrain National Theatre, the Cultural Hal, Dar Al Muharraq, Dar Bin Harban and Dar Al Riffa.
Celebrating its thirtieth year, the Bahrain International Music Festival comes under the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities’ slogan for 2021, “Pearling Path,” reflecting the sustainability of this festival and the unifying significance of culture and music as we are separated due to global circumstances beyond our control.
The Bahrain National Theatre, will host the inaugural concert performance showcase, titled “Divas by Jaheda Wehbe from Piaf to Umm Kulthum” that pays tribute to the golden era of female voices who enchanted us with their songs about love, land, and mankind. Tickets are sold at Virgin Megastore, at Bahrain City Center or via Virgin’s Middle East website at www.tickets.virginmegastore.me/bh
The Lebanese star will pay a nostalgic homage to the most exquisite women artists of a greater era, celebrating these voices who performed eternal rhythms and memorable songs for love, land and the deepest human emotions. Performed by Jahida Wehbe, this concert represents the giants of the Arab and Western world in bold, innovative arrangements, as audiences reengage with these classic tunes through dramatic performances and breathtaking scenography. Simply an amazing musical journey wandering through the works of Om Kolthoum, Edith Piaf, Asmahan, Dalida, Feirouz, Sabah, Mercedes Sossa and more, in addition to some of Jahida Wehbe’s original compositions with two songs dedicated to Manama and Muharraq, alongside Lebanon and Europe’s finest musicians, conducted by Lucas Sakr.
In addition, the Cultural hall will host a number of amazing music concerts by Bahraini, Arab and international artists at 8:00 pm.
The beginning will be with a “Musical Journey from Mozart to Today” concert by Pianist Maxime Zecchini on 3 & 4 October, organized in collaboration with the Embassy of France in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Pianist Maxime Zecchini's concert offers a journey through different musical styles and eras. From the middle of the 18th century to the 2000s, listeners will be led to discover or rediscover some of the greatest musical masterpieces. Join this overlap of exquisite classical pieces and famous international tunes, as well as the fine works of many French musicians such as Claude Debussy, Michel Legrand or Charles Aznavour.
From France to Sultanate of Oman, whereby the “Hawas Trio” will present a dazzling concert, featuring eastern and international music and original compositions infused with classical eastern and contemporary music, as well as distinct Omani sounds. The evening of music event is organized in collaboration with the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The Cultural Hall will also host another dazzling music event on 7 & 8 October, a memorable night animated by pianist, singer and flamenco composer, Laura de los Ángeles who will perform an assortment of pieces dedicated to the beauty of the sea and those who dream of a better world.
The music rhythms and sweet melodies will take this time back to basics, to the land of joy and love of beautiful national music heritage, a heartfelt ode to the illustrious career of the late Bahraini artist Salman Zaiman, one of the most prominent artists in Bahrain and the Gulf in the 1970s. The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities pays tribute to him through this concert headlined by Mohammed Rabeea and Hind Dito, accompanied by the Bahrain Music Band and maestro Ziad Zaiman. Bahrain's most renowned composer, Mr. Salman Zaiman, has contributed to the birth of Ajrass Music Band that has nurtured and helped local talent flourish and be heard.
Traditional folk and popular music will also be celebrated in the festival this year. On 14 October 2021 at 8:00pm, at Dar Al-Muharraq, the Qalali Folk Band will entrain its pubic with unforgettable music pieces. The band boasts a rich, long history stretching back more than 100 years in preserving and promoting the traditional seafaring musical traditions of Bahrain, most notably the Fjiri genre of the Qalali village in Muharraq. The band’s tireless participation in local and global international events is rooted firmly in its belief that art is a universal language while at the same time showcasing the ancient history of human civilizations that inhabit this part of the world.
On 15 October 2021, Dar Bin Harban Band will certainly dazzle its audience in a concert to be held at Dar Bin Harban in Muharraq at 8:00pm, offering and reviving a myriad of local traditional arts, including Al-Ardhah, Al-La’abouni, Al-Khammari, and Al-Fjiri. The closing concert will be held at Dar Al Riffa Al Sagheera, on 16 October 2021, by Dar Al Riffa Al Sagheera Music Band. During the evening of music concert, the band will play most gracefully a selection of popular well-known songs, such as “daq al-hob” and Majeelsi”, well-known in Bahrain and the Gulf region, amid warmly appreciative and enthusiastic audience, who will be astounded by the by the beauty and talent on display that night of the Intangible heritage of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Along with this amazing lineup, the 30th edition of Bahrain’s International Music Festival also features a series of educational entertaining different workshops by acclaimed artists on music composition, such as the one on 8 October. In addition another workshop titled “An Introduction, Rhythms and Songs’ will be held on 9 October, and “The System of Melodic Modes Prevalent in Classical Arab music, the Maqam” workshop on 16 October. Bahrain Culture Authority would like to remind everyone that participation in these workshops is open only for registered candidates who can pre-register via BACA’s official website: www.culture.gov.bh
Coinciding with the launch of the 30th Bahrain International Music Festival, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities published the second edition of Poul Rovsing Olsen’s book “Music in Bahrain: Traditional Music in the Arabian Gulf” with the permission of the Danish Institute of Folklore and the property of the late Poul Rovsing Olsen, as the book is an important documentation of music in Bahrain.
Poul Rovsing Olsen, a Danish ethnomusicologist and composer of international renown, first visited Bahrain in the 1950s and continued to do so for twenty years. Through his insightful descriptions and analysis, the author captures the rich and diverse musical traditions and their settings in Bahrain during the 1950s and 1960s. The book covers a wide array of musical genres; from the music of pearl divers, religious singing, women's songs and festive dances.
This volume is an invaluable addition to both Bahrain and the world’s musical library, and can be found for sale at the Bahrain National Museum’s gift shop.
To assure your safety and healthful conditions for others, and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, please observe the following precautionary measures while attending events and workshops organized by the 30th h edition of Bahrain’s International Music Festival. Only fully vaccinated participants will be allowed to attend the indoor workshops and they are required to present their vaccination card indicating that they were fully or partially vaccinated. Proof of both must be provided by presenting the green shield via the “BeAware” application when attending indoor events and workshops. The maximum capacity allowed to assist and participate in the indoor events and workshops is fixed at 50% and we kindly request you to respect these guidelines and cooperate with Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities’ Administration Team, who will evaluate the venue’s capacity.
However, vaccinated and non-vaccinated lovers of music will be able to attend outdoor events, taking into consideration the capacity limit of each location determined by BACA. Wearing facemasks at all times, sanitize often and keeping social distancing are also among the BACA’s recommendations.
For more information about BACA’s latest events, please visit us on our website www.culture.gov.bh or follow us on social media networks via @culturebah.
