Mozart Was Not Buried in a Mass Grave!
Alain E. Andrea 27/01 18:08 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
The ongoing controversy surrounding the burial of Mozart, fueled by the film Amadeus, is debunked by reliable historical sources, refuting the idea of a mass grave. On the occasion of the commemoration of Mozart’s birthday, This is Beirut highlights the circumstances surrounding his death and funeral. The persistent myth that Wolfgang Amadeus ...
Al-Bustan Festival: Three Decades of Musical Pollination
Alain E. Andrea 19/01 16:37 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
From February 21 to March 17, the Al-Bustan Festival celebrates three decades of existence in an evolving Lebanon. Despite socio-political challenges, the festival persists in illuminating the Lebanese music scene, offering an eclectic program in a country in search of harmony and sensitivity. From 1994 to 2024, three decades passed, marked by a ...
The Eternal Curse of Artists
Alain E. Andrea 17/01 18:16 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The dichotomy between artistic celebration and social support for artists raises crucial questions about the place and protection of these creators who enrich our universal artistic heritage. This article sheds light on a narrative where the vulnerability of three Western composers collides with the intransigence of a capricious table in the land ...
At Beit Tabaris, an Oud Escapes the Beaten Path
Alain E. Andrea 11/01 18:22 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The enthusiasm of the audience on January 9 spoke volumes about the success of the second concert of the year at Beit Tabaris. Despite the various uncertainties that Lebanon is going through, the packed hall was the scene of an interesting spectacle. The melodies of the oud, the pulsations of the double bass and the effervescence of the percussion ...
Cancer in Lebanon: A Stain on the State’s Reputation
Alain E. Andrea 04/01 15:13 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The already alarming situation of oncological patients in Lebanon has reached critical levels due to the lack of efficient and affordable treatment, putting the lives of over 30,000 Lebanese patients at risk. Given the increasing plight of cancer patients in Lebanon, pointing fingers at the people responsible has become an imperative. The fatal ...
The Magic of Harmonies: Christmas in Music (2/2)
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-25 10:44 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
As Christmas approaches, musical scores come to life, filling the air with their festive spirit. In the second article of this series, This Is Beirut invites you to (re)discover three popular Christmas tunes that have soothed generations, perpetuating the magic of Christmas to this day. As soon as the wind sweeps away the last russet leaves, ...
The Magic of Harmonies: Christmas in Music (1/2)
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-24 10:30 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
As Christmas gets closer, musical scores come to life, filling the air with their festive spirit. For this occasion, This is Beirut invites you, in the first article of this series, to (re)discover three masterpieces of Western art music that celebrate the Nativity, illuminating the season with their timeless brilliance. As soon as the wind ...
Beirut Chants: Czech Fingers Tickle the Soul of Beirut
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-10 13:51 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
During the eighth concert of Beirut Chants, cellist Michal Kaňka and pianist Jaromír Klepáč asserted their mastery with a somewhat smooth but convincing Beethoven, an exuberant Dvořák, a feverish Martinů and a triumphant Franck. On Thursday, December 7, as the skies of Beirut shed silvery tears over the city, humming a gentle melody, the ...
Laurent Petitgirard: The Academy that Rejects Academicism
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-08 10:38 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
There was a time when tonality reigned majestically over the European musical scene, elevating its followers to the status of demiurges, praised and honored for eternity. However, the great musical schism of the 20th century marked the irreversible divorce between European art music and the tonal system. This reality became increasingly apparent ...
Beirut Chants: The Prayers of a Hoped-For Renaissance
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-02 11:53 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Beirut oscillates between silence and the summons to transcendence. The Beirut Chants festival, launching its sixteenth musical season on November 30, resonates as an answer to the city’s agony. These instances of pure beauty, sublimely carried by two university choirs, herald a long-hoped-for musical renaissance. Beirut, oh luminous city of ...
Musicales du Liban : the Art of Distilling Time
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-02 11:25 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
On November 26, the curtain was dropped on the fifth fall season of the Musicales du Liban in Paris, a highly colorful performance by the Sedecim quartet. The concert was a musical tour-de-force worthy of the highest eulogy. Under the languid sunset of humanity, the quarter-jack played, forlorn, his sinister lamento. The bells of this loyal ...