Zehava Ben sings Umm Kalthoum

"Zehava didn't override Umm Kalthoum, and this is what makes her great. She simply bore the words on the waves of her extraordinary voice, breaking forth from the depths of her soul. 54 minutes of intensely emotional song,, without a stumble."
Ha'aretz

Twenty-seven year old vocalist Zehava Ben is Israeli of Moroccan heritage, brought up in a poor neighborhood in the southern city of Beersheba. Her humble origins and petite build mask an extraordinary talent. With her mesmerizing voice she sings songs from the repertory of the Maria Callas of the Arab world, the legendary diva Umm Kalthoum.
Accompanied by the Haifa Arab Music Orchestra conducted by Suheil Raduan, she wins over even the most fanatic Umm Kalthoum fans with her interpretations of such classic and complex songs as El-atlall and Inta Oumri.
Enthusiasm for Ben's program is spreading quickly and she and the orchestra have been invited to a number of festivals in Europe including Stockholm, Montpellier, and Paris (Theatre de la Ville). Last year she was THE major attraction, and got a standing ovation, at the international world renown world-music Sfinks Festival in Boechout.
An absolute must for all lovers of classic music, of Middle-Eastern music, of Arab music, of music.

Umm Kulthum (1904-75), the "voice of Egypt", was indisputably the most gifted and celebrated musical performer of this century in the Arab world. More than 20 years after her death, her songs are still played nightly on many Arab radio stations. Her devoted audience, drawn from all strata of society, still numbers in the millions. They say that apart from Allah, Umm Kalthoum is THE subject about which all Arabs agree. President Sadat once addressed the nation on the same day as her concert and ended up with no audience, a mistake he only made once.

Repertory: Inta Oumri (Ti si moje življenje), lyrics: Achmad Shafik Kamal, composed by: Mohamed Abdel Wahab;  El Wardi Gamil (Gamilova cvetica), lyrics: Bayres Altunsi, composed by: Zacaria Achmad; Ranili Schwaya Schwaya (Zapoj mi malo), lyrics: Bayres Altunsi, composed by: Zacaria Achmad

Line-up: vocals: Zehava Ben; violin: Nizar Raduan, Youssef Matar, Yevgeni Apter, Bella Pogosov, Badran Mohamed, Arnal Harb; viola: Valeria Vaserman; violoncello: Francois Khell, Galia Nakhmani; oud (lute): Samir Joubran, Michael Maroun; oriental flute: Husam Abdulgani; kanun: Gamila Yilezrou; bass: Samir Yasin; darbuka: Ramsi Bishari; tamburine: Taufiq Naddaf.

The concert is organised by: Cankarjev dom
In coproduction with: Mest žensk/ City of Women
Sponsor: Adria Airways