DUBAI: A book on Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum is part of a series of music-focused books launched by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2022.
Consisting of a number of publications, the series is an addition to the ALC’s roster of publications and focuses on Emirati and Arab singing and music. The collection also includes biographies of artists Eid Al-Faraj and Ibrahim Jumaa written by author Ibrahim Al-Hashemi, a book on Umm Kulthum’s reasons for selecting the poems she sang, alongside a variety of other titles, including educational books.
Writing about the connection between Umm Kulthum and Arabic poetry, Dr. Ahmed Youssef Ali’s book “Umm Kulthum: Poetry and Singing” chronicles the legendary singer’s efforts to elevate Arabic song by performing the works of some of the greatest poets of her time and before.
The launch ceremony was attended by Dr. Ali bin Tamim, chairman of the ALC, and Saeed Hamdan Al-Tunaiji, acting executive director of the ALC and director of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), along with media representatives and book enthusiasts.
“The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre continues to drive the advancement of the Arabic language and enrich the Arabic library with original titles in an effort to encourage creativity and support authors,” said Al-Tunaiji. “The series of music books we have launched is a means to shed renewed light on music and singing in the region. For the first time, the series presents biographies of musical pioneers in the UAE, in addition to documenting traditional performing arts and exploring new perspectives on Arabic singing by experts.