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