Cultural treasures of 22 Arab nations are being presented at Kennedy Center’s festival ARABESQUE: Arts of the Arab World, featuring music, dance, theater, food, art, fashion, and even a souk (marketplace) through March 15.
“The arts create peace and provide a window onto understanding people,” says Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser. “I hope this festival will act as a catalyst towards achieving both between the Arab and Western worlds.”
Those worlds and words will be combined in many of the works, especially “Richard III: An Arab Tragedy” – a musical as well as an Arabian version of Shakespeare’s classic play. My sheikdom for a horse…
This will be the U.S. debut of the work adapted and directed by Sulayman Al-Bassam of Kuwait, and commissioned by Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company. Britain’s "The Guardian" newspaper called it “sardonic fun” and “a punchy, irreverent makeover that retools Shakespeare for the world of Saddam, the CIA, and the House of Saud.” Kennedy Center’s Performance Plus™ Program offers a discussion on March 6, free with the performance ticket.
A Kennedy Center-commissioned work "OMAN…O Man!" by triple Emmy®-winning choreographer Debbie Allen and danced by Omani and American performers, will have its world premiere March 12-15 during the festival.
New York Philharmonic Music Director Lorin Maazel will conduct the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, comprised of Arab and western musicians, in its international debut on February 24.
The Qatar Philharmonic’s music director and resident composer Marcel Khalifé will play the oud, (Arabic flute) several times during the festival. One of the most celebrated Arab musicians and composers, the Lebanese Khalifé is known as “the Bob Dylan of the Middle East” and a UNESCO “Artist for Peace”.
From oud to hip-hop. Somali hip-hopper K’NAAN, compared to Bob Marley and Eminem, performs on February 27 at the Millennium Stage. Last month, Kennedy Center celebrated the Millennium Stage's 12th anniversary of presenting free concerts.
Most of the performances focus on a single country or area and its culture, like the extremely timely "Alive From Palestine: Stories Under Occupation", a dramatic oral history by the Al Kasaba Theater from Ramallah in the West Bank. The production, which "Variety" has called “heartfelt and witty”, will be on February 26 and 27.
"Khamsoun(Fifty)" is a drama focusing on a half-century of Tunisian history, from Tunisia’s independence in 1956 to 2006. The play, which means “fifty” in Arabic, is about a woman who is arrested after the suicide bombing of her friend. It will be staged March 14-15.
Several exhibitions can be viewed throughout the festival. “Fashion: Brides of the Arab World” has more than 40 elaborate and colorful wedding dresses from all 22 countries in the Arab League of States. Multimedia: “Exploratorium”, with a 3D film commissioned for ARABESQUE, uses the latest technology to explore Arab contributions to medieval society. The specially-constructed souk is a vibrant marketplace offering Arabian arts and crafts like jewelry, calligraphy, purses, etc.
ARABESQUE whets your appetite, so Performance Plus will offer "A Taste of the Arab World", samplings of the scrumptious cuisines of Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen on Saturdays February 28, March 7, and March 14.
Here is the complete program for the timely, fascinating festival.
As President John F. Kennedy said, "I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we too, will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit."
For more info:
Kennedy Center, www.kennedy-center.org,
202-467-4600, 800-444-1324.
2700 F St., NW, Washington, DC 20037. Metro (Subway) stop: Foggy Bottom/GWU on Blue and Orange Lines. Garnet-colored Kennedy Center shuttle buses are at the Metro exit.
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