Music days begin in Sharjah
sharjah — The fifth edition of the Sharjah World Music Festival (SWMF 2018) begins today with an opening act by Flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo, at the Flag Island Amphitheatre. This will be accompanied by a free outdoor concert at two locations in Sharjah, Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Qasba.
Vicente Amigo will inaugurate the fifth edition with a live performance, the Andalusian Night.
The two free outdoor concerts are part of a week-long presentation of complimentary musical performances that have been organised by the festival at the Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Qasba, which will be showcased every evening from 8.30pm-9.30pm until January 19. The first two of these will be performed tonight. Al Majaz Waterfront will welcome Iraqi composer, guitarist and songwriter Saif Shaheen — known for his fusion of Eastern and Western melodies and his exploration of themes of belonging and estrangement. He incorporates a broad range of sounds in his work, influenced by acts such as the Beatles. Shaheen has six albums, including ‘Beloved’.
Syrian artist Sara Al Houshi together with Ukrainian musician, Jenny, will perform Harmony — an act that bridges Eastern and Western tunes, at Al Qasba. The audience will be stunned by the performance of Sara and Jenny who will blend Western and Arabic styles.
On the sidelines of the festival, 12 young singers of different nationalities will be competing at the SWMF 2018 singing competition daily at 6.30pm at the Masrah Al Qasba Theatre.
On Sunday, the Flag Island Amphitheatre will host a tribute night dedicated to legendary Egyptian singer Abdul Halim Hafez, starting at 9pm. It will feature three Egyptian artists, Ahmed Effat, Mai Hassan and Mohammed Metwalli, who will be accompanied by the Cairo Opera House Orchestra conducted by maestro Mohammed Ismail Al Mouji.
The outdoor concerts on Sunday will bring Saif Shaheen to perform for the Al Qasba audience, and Al Majaz Waterfront will showcase a fabulous tango performance by the Argentinian trio; Flor Milagros, Matej Sodja and Diana Radzhabaeva who will present a mix of song, dance and acting. The one-week event brings together a stellar array of singers and musicians from 11 Arab and foreign countries, including Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Spain, Argentina, Ukraine, Hungary and others. The artists will be performing at four venues in Sharjah — Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Al Majaz Waterfront, The Flag Island Amphitheatre and Al Qasba.