Wael Shawky premieres 'The Song of Roland' at Theater der Welt 2017
26 May 2017
Wael Shawky premieres his latest project Song of Roland: The Arabic Version at the opening of Theater der Welt 2017 in Hamburg, Germany from 26 – 29 May.
The large musical and theatrical installation translates the epic French verse 'La Chanson de Roland' into classic Arabic and features performances by 25 fidjeri singers. Fidjeri is a type of music sung by pearl divers from the Persian Gulf states, as part of a tradition dating back more than 800 years. Fidjeri singers are famed for their expressive solo performances accompanied by a choir, percussion and maritime-inspired choreography. Used previously for his acclaimed film trilogy Cabaret Crusades, Shawky here works with the musicians on stage for the first time, combining this authentic Arabian tradition with one of the earliest works of French literature.
In addition to Song of Roland: The Arabic Version, all three of Shawky's Cabaret Crusades films will be shown during the festival.
