Watch This Ghost Opera In An Abandoned Lebanese Theater
The storytelling collective Nowness has released a mesmerizing experimental art piece at the glorious and abandoned Grand Theater in the heart of Downtown Beirut.
The landmark had previously hosted international festivals and ceremonies in the 1920s until being boarded up during the Lebanese Civil War.
After the October 17th, 2019 revolution, many people found themselves drawn to the magical sturcture that they had been shut out of for so long. Talks were routinely held on the top floor, with people enjoying the immersion into history and culture.
The experimental opera that has now overtaken the breathtaking theater is titled Shabah El Rih and it is an 11-minute film starring opera singer Monà Hallab. The set is designed by Whard Sleiman, and cinematography done by Nader Bahsoun. With Hallab’s vocals reverberating in the Grand Theater and her image projected on flowing curtains, the “ghost opera” draws a contrast between the city’s destructive past and unknown future.
