Al Bustan International Festival of Music & the Performing Arts reactivated this year after a break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic collapse, and the political crises that hit Lebanon.
On Sunday, the festival held a free concert in Ain El Mreisseh to reactivate the artistic scene in Lebanon with international music, offering an unexpected Italian concert outdoors, even though that type of music is not commonly played in the streets of Lebanon.
There, at the Corniche in Beirut, the Italian band played for an hour as passers-by gathered around the musicians, appreciating this newness that brought joy to their hearts and the surrounding.
Al Bustan International International Festival of Music & the Performing Arts started on February 16th and will last until March 13th.
There are ten remaining events until March 13, with concerts and performances taking place at Al Bustan Hotel and other places):
- That Breath We Held a free performance by Alaa Minawi, Vladimir Kurumilian, and Ahmed Amer on February 22.
- Labyrinthe with Khatia Buniatishvili on February 24.
- Maestra with Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and Glass Marcano on February 25 at Saint-Joseph Jesuit Church, Monot.
- Boris Forever, Part 1 and 2 featuring Boris Berezovsky at Al Bustan Hotel on March 2 and 3.
- Charity Performance with Renaud Capuçon and Guillaume Bellom on March 6.
- Tchaikovsky Piano Trio with Renaud Capuçonviolin, Victor Julien-Laferrièrecello, and Guillaume Bellom on March 7.
- Cello Serenade with Victor Julien-Laferrière at Sursock Palace on March 9.
- Rasayel with Oumeima El Khalil, Hani Siblini, Lebanese Oriental Orchestra, André Hajj and choreographer Pierre Geagea and his troup of deaf dancers on March 11.
- Opera For Peace with Kathleen Norchi, Mlindi Aubrey Pato, Nikolai Zemlyanskikh, and Gianluca Marciano on March 13.
Al Bustan Festival was founded in 1994, establishing Lebanon’s unique and artistic tradition of music concerts in the winter season.
For more information about the concerts and for (the required) booking, visit Al Bustan Festival’s website.
