“Abu Dhabi Festival” celebrates the centenary of Mansour Rahbani

Under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun, the Abu Dhabi Festival, within the framework of the festival’s program abroad for the year 2026, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and honorary founding sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Festival, presented the world premiere of the joint musical work “I Travel Alone as a King,” as part of the centenary celebration of the great Lebanese musician Mansour Rahbani. The ceremony was held in Beirut, Lebanon, in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Ghassan Salama, Minister of Culture, representing the President of the Lebanese Republic.

This distinguished musical work, which was produced in cooperation with the composer and artist Osama Rahbani, was performed with the participation of international soprano singer Heba Tawji, along with the Ukrainian National Symphony Orchestra and the Notre Dame University Choir in the historic Sacred Heart Church in the Gemmayzeh area in Beirut. It was presented as part of the Abu Dhabi Festival’s program abroad. The ceremony was a distinctive cultural station. In celebration of the centenary of the birth of Mansour Rahbani, the prominent Lebanese composer, playwright and poet, whose pioneering works contributed to shaping the features of modern Arab musical theatre, and whose works are still present in Arab cultural memory and maintain their presence across generations.

For her part, Her Excellency Hoda Ibrahim Al Khamis, founder of the Abu Dhabi Group for Culture and Arts, founder and artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, said: “We celebrate a great stature and a great creator, Mansour Rahbani, the conscience of our Arab world and our common humanity, who told the story of our creativity, with noble humility and authentic poeticism, with artistic leadership and unique music.”

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Her Excellency added: “Mansour left a long legacy that enriched our lives, our souls, and our dreams, and his creative work expressed our joys, concerns, and memories. Mansour Rahbani gave us the keys to the gardens of beauty and the spaces of imagination, where poetry and lyricism meet truth and reality, and his creative journey was always guided by the compass of values, elevation, and belonging. We, at the Abu Dhabi Culture and Arts Group, and the Abu Dhabi Festival, raise high the banner of Arab culture, and celebrate the legacy of the creators who paved the way for present and future generations, and as an embodiment of this message of ours, “I Travel Alone as a King” is coming.

The work “I Travel Alone as a King” presented a broad artistic experience, inspired by 34 poems by the great Lebanese poet and musician Mansour Rahbani, and combining Western symphonic style with Eastern musical expression, within an atmosphere that carries clear human and cultural connotations. The work highlighted the profound influence of Mansour Rahbani on the Arab cultural and artistic scene, through topics that addressed: sovereignty, steadfastness, human expression, and national pride. Through this musical convergence, his poetry was presented in a rich artistic language that confirmed the continuity of his presence and influence across generations, and in various cultural contexts.

Osama Rahbani spoke about the depth of the partnership that brought him together with the Abu Dhabi Culture and Arts Group, which began with the first work performed by the star Heba Tawaji, during the Abu Dhabi Festival in 2011. He pointed to the group’s firm commitment to supporting the cultural and creative sectors, in addition to its influential presence in leading major regional and international cultural initiatives, which constitutes a natural framework for cooperation to produce the Mansour Rahbani centenary celebration, as a cultural project that carries great artistic and historical value.

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Osama explains, “(The Oratorio) is based on the complete texts of Mansour Rahbani’s book (I Travel Alone as a King), which is the most recent book published in 2007, about Mansour’s life and under his supervision. The book consists of 34 poetic pieces with a dramatic flair, distinguished by Mansour Rahbani in terms of the cosmic vision. The book contains a summary of Mansour’s existential experience, and his steadfast confrontation with his destiny regarding departure, absence, presence, and estrangement. This is why the book is filled with a comprehensive, contemplative, philosophical breath, enveloped in symbolism that is clear at times and hidden at times, as required by the poetic prowess of which Mansour is one of the most prominent pillars in modern Arabic poetry.”

He concludes by saying: “(I Travel Alone as a King) is a book for each of us in his emotional solitude. It became poetry among people, poems from the heart of conscience overflowing with experience, and the oratorio came today to convey it, with voice and melodies, to every conscience in the world, especially through the inspiring voice of Heba Tawji, who represented Lebanese art at the highest possible level.” Arab women are represented in the finest image through their elegant presence, culture, wonderful voice, nobility, and the successes they achieve in Lebanon and abroad at a steady pace.”

At the end of the evening, the star Heba Tawaji was honored by the Presidency of the Lebanese Republic, as His Excellency the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, awarded her the National Cedar Medal, with the rank of Knight, and His Excellency Dr. Ghassan Salama awarded it to her.

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Also, the prestigious Abu Dhabi Festival Award, presented in cooperation with Chopard, was awarded in honor of the legacy of the late great Mansour Rahbani. The award was presented by His Excellency Dr. Ghassan Salama and His Excellency Hoda Ibrahim Al-Khamis, and it was received on behalf of the deceased by his sons: Osama, Marwan, and Ghadi Rahbani. The Abu Dhabi Festival Award is awarded annually with the aim of honoring personalities who have contributed significantly to shaping and enriching the cultural and artistic scene. By honoring Mansour Rahbani, the award highlights his immortal impact and legacy and his essential role in preserving this artistic heritage, reintroducing it, and developing one of the most prominent musical and theatrical traditions in the Arab world.

“Arts in Embassies” initiative.. in Beirut:

Within the framework of the Abu Dhabi Festival’s firm commitment to strengthening cultural diplomacy, international cooperation, and promoting Arab culture on the global stage, and in partnership with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Lebanon, and the Sheikh Zayed Chair for Arab and Islamic Studies at the American University of Beirut, the festival held a special dialogue session entitled “Mansour Rahbani: Poetic Legacy and Artistic Impact,” within the “Arts in Embassies” initiative, at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut. The institute, which was designed by international architect Zaha Hadid, formed a high-level architectural and intellectual space that embraced this dialogue and gave it a cultural and cognitive dimension that was consistent with the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Festival and its international vision.

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His Excellency Fahd Salem Saeed Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Lebanon, said: “The ‘Arts in Embassies’ initiative reflects the UAE’s commitment to supporting culture as a bridge for dialogue and rapprochement between peoples, and its stop today in Beirut celebrates a strong creative Arab legacy left by the great artist Mansour Rahbani in the Arab conscience.”

This meeting brought together: His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Tamim, President of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, and the artists Osama Rahbani and Heba Tawji, in an in-depth dialogue, discussing the legacy and impact of Mansour Rahbani, the importance of his works, and his role in enriching cultural understanding, consolidating the common values ​​that bring us together, and addressing communities within one cultural scene.

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