The first Saudi opera.. "Blue dove" Shines at the Cairo Book Fair

The main hall hosted, as part of the activities of the fifty-seventh session of Cairo International Book Fair, a symposium within the axis "Intellectual meeting" Titled "Zarqa al-Yamamah.. the first Saudi opera"With the participation of soprano Dina Iskandar, poet and playwright Saleh Zamanan, and director and critic Dr. Medhat Al-Kashef, and Maestro Nayer Naji, and it was moderated by actor, theater and media director Muhammad Fadel Al-Qabbani.

At the beginning of the symposium, Al-Qabbani stressed that the symposium does not merely represent a celebration of an artistic performance or a critical reading, but rather an attempt to open a real dialogue about an experience that combines Arab myth, poetic action, and opera as a global art, and raises fundamental questions related to language, identity, and the possibility of Arab opera’s presence in the global cultural scene.

Myth. Attractive

Saleh Zamanan said that he initially wrote a long text for the opera that deals with an attractive legend in the Arabian Peninsula that performs miracles and recites prophecies, stressing that writing the text relied on poetry as it is one of the texts of Arab civilization, as the name is hardly mentioned. "Blue dove" However, it is interspersed with a poetic presence on the lips of the characters, just as the poets of Al-Yamamah are always invoked in the Arabic poem.

He explained that the art of opera serves the operatic vocal specificity, pointing out that the voice of Zarqa Al-Yamamah was an eternal sadness that crosses the ages, and that the opera was able to express her inner poetic voice that was the source of her pain.
He added that her inability to convince her people of the coming armies doubled the tragedy, and that the characters in the work represent the Arabs. Obsolete and distant tribes, which is a very sensitive description in the Arab heritage.

Poetry within the fabric of the text

Zamanan added that the essence of symbolism in the work is evident in the presentation of poetry within the fabric of the text, where it faces Zarqa Al-Yamama The unjust king with the voice of nothingness and annihilation, stressing that her importance as a central character in Arab opera lies in her insight, and that excellence in sight and insight made her a significant description of women, time and the land, citing Amal Dunqul’s poem, which invoked Zarqa Al-Yamama as a legend present in the collective consciousness and the mourners of injustice.

He continued that the legend belongs to the Arabian Peninsula as the ancient world and the paradise of mythology. Full of tragedy and conflict, as Al-Hakim was a poet, and the concepts of revenge and extermination were present in an intense aesthetic context, indicating that the project was a real adventure that he might document later in a broader book.

Additional musical challenges

Zamanan pointed out that Salman Al-Abazi was the general supervisor of the project, and that the idea was initially met with some sarcasm before it was realized, stressing that the distinction of the work is due to the diversity of its aesthetics and the participation of creators from about 20 countries, He explained that it took 3 years to implement it in 3 cities around the world, and that the original text lasted 3 hours of performance.

He explained that he was later forced to reduce the text and merge the characters, given the nature of the opera, which does not allow more than 7 main voices, which created additional musical challenges.
He pointed out that operatic directing had become increasingly dependent on modern technologies, especially with the Swiss-Italian director Daniele Finzi Pasca, as the cooperation between them witnessed a creative struggle that ended with the best of both parties.

He concluded. Zamanan spoke to him by saying that the conflict between his vision, which tends to deepen the concepts of war and genocide, and the director’s vision, which moved towards peace, was clearly reflected in the work scenes, expressing his pride in the project, which he described as a rich addition to the history of Arab theater and an official symbol that calls for pride in the Arab world.

A modern dramatic spirit

Dr. said. Medhat Al-Kashef said that transforming an ancient legend into an Arabic opera posed a major artistic challenge, explaining that the work re-presented the legend in a modern dramatic spirit while preserving its symbolic essence, stressing that the project represents an actual inauguration of the art of opera in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and an ambition to present authentic Arabic art on the world stage.

Maestro Nair Naji explained that the project took two years of work, and included intensive training for foreign singers on the correct pronunciation of the Arabic language, stressing that The poetic text played an essential role in shaping the musical structure, and that the opera represents an integrated production capable of being presented in major international opera houses.

New possibilities for pronunciation

Soprano Dina Iskandar confirmed that operatic singing in Arabic posed a great challenge on the vocal and dramatic levels, noting that the experience allowed her to explore new possibilities for pronunciation without affecting vocal performance, and that the freedom of expression granted by the director helped to embody the tragic dimension. To the character.

At the end of the evening, soprano Dina Iskandar presented an operatic musical piece inspired by the opera "Blue dove"to the tunes of Maestro Nair Naji playing the piano.

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