Syrian Composer Iyad Rimawi to Premiere 'Syrian Rhapsody' at Expo 2020

The Syria Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai and the Syria Trust for Development announced the premiere of the ‘Syrian Rhapsody by Iyad Rimawi’ on February 7th on the Jubilee Stage in Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Syrian Rhapsody created, composed and arranged by renowned Syrian composer, Iyad Rimawi will premiere in a spectacular stage performance by over 100 musicians and singers, conducted by award winning Maestro Missak Baghboudarian.

Rimawi commented on the occasion saying: “The Syrian Rhapsody is an artistic journey that aims to explore the essence of music which makes it a truly universal language. Expo 2020 Dubai is the world’s biggest event and with a platform as such, we wanted to present something that the world has never heard before and bring three millennia of Syrian and world music history together in one great musical show”.

The Syrian Rhapsody sheds light on significant periods in musical history. It begins with a rendition of the oldest musical notation known to mankind, the ‘Hymn to Nikkal’, which was discovered on a clay tablet from 1400 BC in Ugarit, Syria. The performance pulls its audience forward into the era of Syriac chanting, considered to be the earliest form of collective church singing, and from there to the magnificent chanting traditions of Islamic Sufism, in order to end in a never-heard-before fusion of historical and modern sounds.

 

 

 

 

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The Syrian Rhapsody by Iyad Rimawi will be open to public, and all attendees will require a valid Expo 2020 Dubai ticket as well as adhere to any COVID related admission rules on the day.