Tripoli’s Elite Center for Culture and Education recently hosted a special evening, part of its “Remembering Lebanese Innovators” series, dedicated to celebrating the acclaimed artist Elias Rahbani. The event saw a strong turnout, including Dr. Abdel Hamid Karimeh, Mayor of Tripoli, represented by municipal member and head of the Tourism Committee, Professor Amin Al-Muqaddam; Professor Ni’mah Mahfoud, Head of the Teachers’ Syndicate; Dr. Fadia Alam El Gemayel, Director of the North Branch Campus of Saint Joseph University; and the evening’s guest of honor, Mrs. Nina Khalil Rahbani, Elias Rahbani’s wife. A distinguished group of academics and cultural figures also attended.
Iman Dernika Al-Kamali, head of the Elite Center, opened the evening by welcoming the attendees, describing them as “the living pulse of the center’s mission, and the cornerstone upon which the edifice of intellectual advancement and soul nourishment rests.” Dernika specifically welcomed Dr. Henri Zoghaib, praising him as an “eminent literary figure and brilliant intellectual personality who has become a pillar of this cultural institution.”
Dernika then invoked the image of the celebrated artist, affirming him as “a creative musical composer with an art that is effortlessly profound, and a light presence known for his wit and charm.” She added, “This artist, who passed among us like the ‘Oriole’ bird sung by Fairouz, left behind a magnificent artistic repertoire that colored our lives with the most beautiful hues.” She emphasized that Elias Rahbani “etched his deep mark on the memory of Lebanese, Arab, and international art, striving in every note he played and every song he wrote or composed, to highlight the true, bright face of Lebanon as a homeland of love and beauty, despite the challenges.” Dernika concluded by honoring Elias Rahbani’s art as “authentic and refined, something we now miss in an era of heresy and artistic decline.” She also acknowledged the crucial role of Mrs. Nina Khalil Rahbani in supporting her late husband’s journey, expressing gratitude for her presence. She stressed that the evening “embodies the center’s belief in its role in preserving this precious national heritage and authentic cultural legacy, and documenting our cultural and musical history not as a past, but as a continuous life.”
Dr. Henri Zoghaib enriched the evening with a fascinating talk about his lifelong friend, Elias Rahbani, revealing unique aspects of his personality and his rebellious sound that broke from the classical Rahbani style to establish his own distinct music. Zoghaib delved into Rahbani’s life, from his early love for his wife, Mrs. Nina, to his intelligent sense of humor and diverse musical adventures, which included composing film scores and commercials, creating melodies for popular artists, and venturing into Western musical composition. He also highlighted Rahbani’s compositions for Fairouz and his support for his brothers Assi and Mansour at the Damascus International Festivals.
Zoghaib’s presentation was accompanied by documentary films and archival excerpts from rare interviews with Elias Rahbani, alongside testimonials from close associates, most notably his sons Jad and Ghassan Rahbani. Zoghaib concluded his presentation with a poignant testimony from Mansour Rahbani about his brother Elias, who remarked, “He kept procrastinating until he became a genius,” adding a human and narrative depth to the evening.
In a gesture of loyalty and appreciation, the Elite Center presented a bouquet of roses to Mrs. Nina Rahbani, expressing affection and gratitude for her attendance.
Link Emage: wikipedia
