São Paulo – Brazilian singer, pianist and composer Eliane Elias should play at Baalbeck International Festival, in Lebanon, on August 23. This is the first time that the artist promotes a show in that country.
“She is renowned in Lebanon, and that is why she was recommended by our jazz committee (to participate in the event). She is famous in Europe and our committee appreciates here very much as a singer and musician,” explained Maya Halabi, festival director. According to her, jazz is a “very popular style in Lebanon”.
Established in 1956, by then Lebanese president Camille Chamoun, Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest in the oldest cultural festival in the Middle East, and has already received other popular names in Brazilian music, like Tania Maria and Gilberto Gil. “In Gilberto Gil’s presentation, in 2002, there were many Brazilians and Brazilian flags. It was marvellous,” said Halaby.
According to the director of the festival, Brazilian singers are famous among the Lebanese. “There are many Lebanese who live in Brazil and who have relatives here, and there are many Brazilians who live here,” she said.
Born in São Paulo, Eliane Elias worked with Vinicius de Moraes and Toquinho. The artist has already received five Grammy awards, four “Gold Disk” and three “Best Vocal Album” award, the two latter awards in Japan.
Apart from the Brazilian singer, Baalbeck International Festival should also receive British rocker Marianne Faithful, Lebanese singer Marcel Khalife and contemporary dance presentation Puz/zle, by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Halabi says that the festival usually has jazz, pop, opera, orchestra, classic dance and modern attractions, among others. “We have British, American… artists from all over the world. It depends on their tours in Europe,” says the director. According to her, every year the festival aims to bring attractions in five different styles.
In its history, the event has already received musicians like Ella Fitzgerald, Fairouz, Sting and Nina Simone, as well as the New York and Berlin philharmonic orchestras, among others.
This year’s edition should take place from the 17th to the 30th of August and the tickets are already on sale. Further information may be obtained on site www.baalbeck.org.lb.
*Translated by Mark Ament
