France: Avignon Festival celebrates Egyptian diva Umm Kulthum

The Avignon Festival in the south of France celebrated the Arabic language and paid tribute to singer Umm Kulthum, an iconic figure in Egyptian music. 

A show called “The Voice of Women” celebrated the 50th anniversary of her passing.  

The concert in the emblematic Palais des papes on Monday featured seven artists, including Camélia Jordana and Souad Massi. 

They performed modern renditions of the Egyptian diva’s songs. 

“Purists should not be offended; this is not about replicating Umm Kulthum but paying homage to her, expressing how we love and sing her", Zeid Hamdan told Africanews. The Lebanese producer is the music director for the concert.

"I believe it’s crucial to honour our peoples, our culture, to showcase something valuable, something grand and noble, and to say: we are here, we exist. Our art is strong; we deserve protection, love, and respect. We are equals among all people", he said.

The show sought to highlight the grandeur and nobility of Arab culture, too often reduced to stereotypes. 

“In this concert, each performer already has their own identity, and that was what made it interesting from the start. We were all curious to see how each of us would reinterpret Umm Kulthum in our own way and what that would produce", said Egyptian singer Maryam Saleh.

Umm Kulthum is considered a national treasure in her native Egypt.  

Throughout her five-decade career, she became known as the “star of the East”, and as “the fourth pyramid."

“She represents the Arab woman: elegant, musical, and also a feminist", said French-Algerian singer Souad Massi.

Umm Kulthum died in 1975. Her funeral procession was followed by 4 million people who gathered in the streets of Cairo. 

In Avignon, her spirit was reignited for one night. A highlight of the festival, the concert transcended cultural and generational differences, and captivated audiences.