Handsome crooner Omar Kamal, popularly known as ‘The Palestinian Frank Sinatra’, will be stepping out on stage tonight, courtesy of the Spring of Culture festival organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities ... and he’s glad to be back.
A diverse range of multicultural influences have given the singer, composer and producer from Nablus a rich and varied taste in music ranging from the swing king to pop legends such as Michael Jackson, and, of course, Arabic greats such as Mohammed Abdelwahab and Fayrouz.
“I’m excited to be back to the kingdom, especially after a long break in live entertainment,” he told the GDN. “Performing in Bahrain in 2017 is one of my fondest memories of ever being on stage. The reception we received from the crowd was tremendous and heart-warming. Their energy lifted me and my band to the stratosphere and it was all unexpected!
“Whenever I’m asked about my favourite places to have performed, Bahrain is usually up there!”
The star performs a variety of genres in a number of languages and composes his own music. Critics suggest all these components have made him one of the most ‘authentic and open artists to emerge from the region in years’.
He admits that having spent years listening to Sinatra and closely observing the Sinatra ‘way’ of singing, story-telling and phrasing helped him on his road to success. “For me, not having had any coaching, I do believe that I’ve learnt from one of the best.”
He was also inspired by his mother, Fairuz, adding: “She has a beautiful voice but has never performed professionally,” Mr Kamal said. “She has a graceful approach towards music and the world around it and that gives me the biggest inspiration at times of uncertainty.”
The smooth-voiced entertainer will be appearing at the Bahrain National Theatre, presenting songs from his album ‘Show Me the Light’, following the success of his 2017/18 tour promoting his debut album ‘Serenade’.
And, the Sound and Light Show continues this weekend at Qal’at Al Bahrain. Highlighting the story of Bahrain, the event will take audiences through a guided journey today and tomorrow at 6pm.
Theatrical performances of the childhood classic The Wind in the Willows will be held tomorrow at the Cultural Hall in Manama.
The British Classic has been reimagined in this London West End hit in an adaptation that features beautiful puppetry, catchy and uplifting live music as well as some of UK’s finest actors.
The fun and engaging show is perfect for all members of the family and is a story of animals emerging from hibernation and enjoying the wonders of the great outdoors.
The shows will be held tomorrow at 5pm, on Saturday at 11.30am and 6pm, while matinee shows will be held on March 13 and 14.
A free musical performance by Dar Bin Harban Band will be held on Saturday at Dar Al Muharraq, starting 8pm.
Founded in the mid-1940s, in the old city of Muharraq by Mohammed bin Jassim bin Harban, Dar Bin Harban Band continues to be instrumental in reviving a myriad of local traditional arts, including Al Ardhah, Al La’abouni, Al Khammari, and Al Fjiri.
Khalid Al Rowaie will launch his book Khadija, delving into Khadija bint Khuwaylid and how she saw Prophet Mohammed from his birth to prophecy and ultimately her death, mixing historical events with contemporary poetic, artistic and human vision.
The book and exhibition will include a new adaptation of the art of historical miniatures and modern artistic forms of lines and formations that go along with the poetic text. The launch will take place at the Bahrain National Theatre from March 13 to March 16, starting 8pm.
A poetry recital by Saudi poet and filmmaker Ahmed Al Mulla will take place on Monday. Mr Al Mulla is considered one of the pioneers of the Saudi film industry as the founder and manager of the Saudi Film Festival. The recital begins at 8pm at the Ibrahim Al Arrayed House of Poetry in Manama and the event is open to all.
The Aga Khan Programme’s brilliant musicians will present creative music workshops to a number of school students and local musicians.
The workshops, which are being organised for the very first time, will discuss the creative process at the juncture of traditional and contemporary music, in addition to advanced lessons in improvisation and cross-cultural composition.
They will also focus on unpacking the creative process at the heart of the Aga Khan Master Musicians at the juncture of traditional and contemporary music, along with a ‘jam session’ for different musical instruments, in addition to advanced lessons in improvisation and cross-cultural composition. These workshops at 8pm at the Cultural Hall, are open to the public from Tuesday until March 18.
The Al Riwaq Art Space will host ‘Post-Fiction: Manama’, an exhibition that highlights the space between shared narratives, personal fictions and prevalent histories of Manama according to five distinct voices.
It invites the viewer to reconsider different possible versions of Manama, placing it both as a physical space and a realm for speculation. The event, which begins on March 15 at 7pm, will run until April 15 from 10am to 8pm daily.
A lecture on the ‘Conservation of the urban historic heritage in the Muslim world’ will be open to the public on Wednesday. It will be led by restoration specialist, art historian and archaeologist Luis Monreal who is also the director general of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The event will be held at the Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Centre for Culture and Research, starting 8pm.