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Our thematic selections : Arab Divas: from Oum kalthoum to Dalida

Arab divas in the second half of the 20th century—iconic singers as well as actresses from musical comedies who also became popular idols—were idolized across the entire Arab world and beyond. Their era is showcased in the IMA exhibition “Arab divas, from Uum Kalthum to Dalida.” https://www.imarabe.org/fr/expositions/divas-arabes

At the heart of this phenomenon reigns a monumental Egyptian performer, Uum Kalthum, who elevated traditional Arab music to a new level. In her wake, other universally respected singers, from the Lebanese Fairuz to the Algerian Warda, captured the hearts of the public. At the same time, musical comedy movies flourished in Egypt, creating new “stars.”

With a frenzied expectation sustained by a long orchestral prelude, followed by brilliant stances and a constantly fluctuating repetition of poetic and musical themes, she cast an ecstatic spell of communion, tarab, over her audience, an emotion sought by Arab listeners from the Mashriq to the Maghreb.

This selection is just a taste of the AWI's rich heritage.

You can find out more about these subjects by exploring this portal or by visiting the Institute.

Oum Kalsoum
  • TABBA Dodi (Pakistan, 1952) : artiste
  • TABBA Dodi
  • 2007
  • Artworks and objects
Oum Kalsoum
  • VOTRUBA Jiri (Prague, 1946) : artiste
  • VOTRUBA Jiri
  • 2007
  • Artworks and objects
Divers objets ayant appartenus à Oum Kalthoum dans son musée au Caire.
  • BORDAZ Marie-Claire
  • EGYPTE , Le Caire
  • 2003
  • Photography
Le musée Oum Kalthoum au Caire.
  • BORDAZ Marie-Claire
  • EGYPTE , Le Caire
  • 2003
  • Photography
Diverses photos d'Oum Kalthoum dans son musée au Caire.
  • BORDAZ Marie-Claire
  • EGYPTE , Le Caire
  • 2003
  • Photography
Le musée Oum Kalthoum au Caire.
  • BORDAZ Marie-Claire
  • EGYPTE , Le Caire
  • 2003
  • Photography
Egypte ; cent ans de cinéma / ; sous la dir. de Magda Wassef ; [publ. par l'Institut du monde arabe]
  • Wassef, Magda
  • 1995
  • IMA :
  • Printed books
Musiques d'Egypte ; Frédéric Lagrange ; [préf. de Christian Poché]
  • Lagrange, Frédéric, Poché, Christian
  • 1996
  • Cité de la musique
  • Multimedia documents
Dream makers on the Nile ; a portrait of Egyptian cinema / ; by Mustafa Darwish
  • Darwish, Mustafa
  • 1998
  • American University Press :
  • Printed books
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