JEDDAH, 19 June 2003— A group of 18 top Saudi and other Gulf singers will feature in a musical show planned as part of the upcoming annual “Jeddah 24” summer festival.
Participating singers include Abadi Al-Johar, Muhammad Omar, Abdullah Rashad, Jawad Al-Ali, Muhammad Ehsan, Rabeh Sagr and Rashid Al-Faris, all Saudis, and Abdullah Al-Ruwaishid and Miami Group (from Kuwait), and Abdullah Bakhan of the United Arab Emirates.
Hamid Sarhan, speaking on behalf of the organizers, Ara Media Services (AMS), told a press conference at the Equestrian Club yesterday that preparations had been finalized and all 18 singers had confirmed their participation at the event in a closed hall of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium here from July 3 to 9.
“We want many music lovers to listen to them. The hall has more than 5,000 seats,” Sarhan said.
“Since big names in the Gulf musical world are involved, we’ve taken care to see that the quality and acoustics are of the highest standard,” he said, adding that a team from Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) satellite channels consisting of engineers, designers and decorators would ensure world class lighting and acoustics.
Before the performance, the participating singers will have a dress rehearsal with an orchestra led by Egyptian maestro Emad Ashour. “For the first time, there will be a studio prepared behind the stage to interview the singers, which will be relayed live on the screen for spectators. The program will be interspersed with ‘safe’ fireworks and pyrotechnics,” said Sarhan, who was accompanied by Omar Jastaneyah of MBC and Muhammad Mansour Al-Saaed of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Jastaneyah said that AMS recently signed an agreement with the JCCI, which entitled AMS to organize programs as part of the annual summer festival for five years from 2004. “We’ve been asked to organize programs this year ahead of the agreement which takes effect next year,” he said.
