Sharjah to host Musical show Shadows

The management of Al Majaz Amphitheatre, affiliated to the Sharjah Media Centre (SMC), has announced its imminent showcasing of the musical show 'Shadows, written by Nadine Al Assad with music by composer Khaled El Sheikh, and featuring Munjid Al Sharif as director.
Arab Idol star Hazem Sharif joins Carole Aoun and the Inana Group in this large stage production, scheduled to take place on Sunday 22nd of February, with a second performance planned for Friday February 27th, 2015.
The production is the first work of its kind in the region, combining poetry, singing and acting in one spectacular show. Consisting of several acts, expressing love for the homeland and peace in scenes interspersed with real life details of the sea and desert - from old times to present day - the musical composes a beautifully executed message of love and peace to all the world.
Osama Samra, Director of Sharjah Media Centre, spoke about the show, "We are proud to host this impressive production, presented for the first time in front of a live audience. This reaffirms our commitment towards organising and hosting cultural and artistic events of the highest standards, both in the region and worldwide. This specific work was chosen because of its noble values, reflecting the love for one's homeland, the pride in one's heritage as well as the vision of a bright future. We are furthermore delighted with the distinguished names on the production's roster, most notably Khaled El Sheikh and the Syrian group Inana, which has a long-established celebrated record of success around the world." He pointed out that the production - written by illustrious poet and journalist Nadine Al Assad especially for Sharjah- is a new art genre in the region. It is an effort to send a clear message of fraternity and peace to the world, by means of poetry, music, and the theatre.
On his part, El Sheikh expressed his pleasure in joining the production, which contains acting and singing acts rich in details and musical value. He mentioned that this will be his second collaboration with Al Majaz Amphitheatre after the "Clusters of Light", a large theatrical production which took place last year, commending Sharjah for being the host of such grand cultural events.
Writer Nadine Al Assad said, "I am happy to see the Emirate of Sharjah hosting the most remarkable achievement in my career, a production that expresses my love and gratitude for this Emirate. Sharjah has become a beacon for culture, fraternity, and humanity. I would like to thank Sharjah Media Centre for hosting this production, and I hope it will be well received by the audience as a new art genre in the region." Hazem Sharif also indicated that his first appearance in front of Sharjah's audience promises to be remarkable, as he has prepared well for it on all levels. The Arab Idol Star revealed that he will appear in the majority of the production's acts, singing some poetry by prominent Arab poets, including Dr. Nadine Al Assad. He also thanked Sharjah Media Centre for selecting him for this reputable work, which represents the largest step in his music career since his involvement in Arab Idol.
The production will take the audience on a journey through history and around the globe in various impressive acts, traveling from present day Broadway to the Middle Ages, then back to the GCC on its way to the Levant and local folklore in various Arab countries. The production will feature poetry recited by Al Assad herself, as well as songs by Fayrouz, Abdulhaleem Hafiz, and Najat AL Sagheera, covered by Hazem and Carole.
Bahraini composer Khalid Al Sheikh is considered a world-renowned musician, and one of the most important in the Arab World. His lengthy career has seen him compose hundreds of successful songs for himself and other great Arab singers, including Abdulmajeed Abdulla, Rashid Al Majid, Sameera Saeed, Rueida Al Mahrouqi, and Angham. His portfolio includes 15 albums released between 1983 and 2005. He has participated in composing soundtracks for various TV productions, as well as joining the panels of various competitions and festivals. He has also received many prestigious awards, including the Best Soundtrack Award for his theatrical production "Akhbar Al Majnoun" in Bahrain.
On her part, Dr. Nadine Alasaad boasts an extensive record of achievements in poetry, media, and academics. She carries a Ph.D in Media and Journalism from Boston University, and has taught at numerous Lebanese universities, as well as working in various TV and radio stations, including LBC, TRT, Lebanese MTV, and Aljadeed. She is also on the panel of the Sharjah Government Communications Award. Alasaad has four published poetry books, and has written several songs for many Arabic singers.
Hazem Shareef, born in Aleppo, Syria, represents the new generation of Arabic performers. He graduated from the Higher Institute for Music in Damascus, and participated in Arab Idol, where he took first prize.
Lebanese singer Carole Aoun has been classified as one of the "Serious Singers", a first-class musician who does not seek fame as much as aiming to present value, and being an example of fine art. Through this ethic she has parted ways with the many main-stream productions that control the musical scene in modern days. Her exclusive career includes musicals such as "Ayla" for Elias Rahbani, and "Sahib Al Ghubta Wal Sultan" and "Sarkhat Izz" for Fadi Tabit. Nadine has also recorded various songs with famous musicians such as Marwan Khoury and Elias Rahbani.
The Al Majaz Amphitheatre, the first of its kind in the region, was opened in March 2014 to become the official venue for the emirate's celebration of the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture 2014, after it hosted the epic oratorio Clusters of Light, which kicked off the start of Sharjah's celebrations last year.
The Dh120 million- Amphitheatre is an open-air semi-circular theatre spanning 7,238 square meters and can accommodate up to 4,500 people.
It features a vast viewing platform through which artists can ascend, and is equipped with a high-quality and accuracy-advanced audio system. The Amphitheatre, which hosts international cultural and art events, houses conference rooms, art galleries, shops and green spaces.
Source: WAM