Piyyut Festival 2012: Day One (September 10, 2012)

Beit Avi Chai’s Piyyut Festival returns to Jerusalem for the fifth year straight. This year’s festival will take place at Beit Avi Chai and other venues around Jerusalem from September 10-13, 2012, and will focus on the piyyut and prayer traditions that developed in the complex shared arena of Jewish-Arab culture, both past and present.

Day One: September 10, 2012

Opening Concert: Abd el-Wahab and Umm Kultum in the World of Piyyut: Rabbi David Menahem and the Nazareth Arab Music Orchestra

A tribute to the Arab-Jewish culture and the classical and modern Arab music incorporated throughout the generations into the world of piyyut and synagogue prayer. Leading paytanim, accompanied by the Nazareth Arab Music Orchestra, will perform traditional and new piyyutim set to the works of the great Arab composers.

Musical direction: Elad Gabbay, Dr. Nizar Radwan / Conductor: Dr. Nizar RadwanWith: Soloists-paytan Rabbi David Menahem, vocalist Maamun ZayyudChorus of paytanim-David Saliah, Shalom Arieli, Yonatan SaliahThe Nazareth Arab Music Orchestra, founded and directed by Suheil RadwanNew songs-Almog Behar