Located in London’s West End, Covent Garden, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane will host a special evening featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra under the baton of Nader Abbassi, presenting symphonic reinterpretations of Mohamed Abdel-Wahab’s most celebrated works.
The orchestra, comprising 52 classical musicians, will be joined by five instrumentalists specializing in Oriental music, offering an enriched and authentic fusion of East and West.
Soprano Fatma Said
The star of the night, Fatma Said, is an internationally acclaimed soprano who has been deeply influenced by Abdel-Wahab’s music.
She is particularly known for her renditions of his pieces, such as La Mosh Ana-l-Abki (It's Not Me Who Cries) and Kan Agmal Youm (It Was the Most Beautiful Day), among many others that reflect her lifelong connection to the legendary composer.
Said’s career began with formal vocal studies under soprano Neveen Allouba in Cairo, and she later continued her education at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin.
She became the first Egyptian singer accepted into the La Scala Academy in Milan, where she performed roles like Pamina in The Magic Flute.
She has since performed at major concert halls worldwide, including Carnegie Hall in New York (2023).
In Egypt, she made history as the first female artist to perform at the Grand Egyptian Museum, accompanied by the United Philharmonic Orchestra under Nader Abbassi.
Though classically trained and pursuing a career in Western classical music, she remains connected to her roots, also promoting repertoire that blends Western and Middle Eastern traditions.
Said’s debut album El Nour (released October 2020 via Warner Classics) brings together a programme of French, Spanish, and Arabic songs. The 17-track album includes arrangements ranging from Ravel’s Shéhérazade to Egyptian popular and folk songs, featuring instruments such as the ney, piano, guitar, and string quartet.
Critics have praised Said for her cross-cultural approach and the depth and versatility of her voice.
Conductor Nader Abbassi
Egyptian conductor Nader Abbassi is one of Egypt’s most accomplished and versatile musicians, with a career spanning performance, composition, opera singing, and conducting.
Over the past decades, Abbassi has led major orchestras in Egypt, the Arab world, and Europe, often focusing on symphonic and operatic repertoire.
He is the founding director of the United Philharmonic Orchestra, which he conducted during globally televised events such as the Pharaohs' Golden Parade and the reopening of Luxor’s Avenue of the Sphinxes.
Abbassi has a longstanding relationship with Abdel-Wahab’s repertoire and has led orchestras in performing his works across the Arab world.
In 2022, Abbassi and the United Philharmonic Orchestra premiered The Abdel-Wahab Symphonic during Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season. The event, marking his collaboration with the Abdel-Wahab Estate, was later performed in Egypt and other countries.
Mohamed Abdel-Wahab
Mohamed Abdel-Wahab (1902–1991) was a pioneering Egyptian singer, composer, and actor who profoundly shaped modern Arabic music.
He began his career performing traditional Egyptian and classical Arabic music but soon became known for innovatively blending these styles with Western musical influences such as classical, jazz, and orchestral arrangements.
Over his long career, he composed hundreds of songs and film scores for leading Arab singers and actors, including iconic figures like Um Kulthoum, Farid El-Atrash, and Asmahan, helping to elevate Arabic music to new artistic heights.
His work was central to the golden age of Arabic music and cinema from the 1930s to the 1960s, and his rich legacy continues to influence musicians across the Arab world and beyond.
Today, the Abdel-Wahab Estate manages his musical legacy, overseeing performances and new projects to preserve and celebrate his work.
Collaborations often involve his family members and trusted artists who ensure that his compositions are presented with respect and authenticity.
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Located in the heart of London’s West End in the Covent Garden area, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane is one of the most historic and significant theatres in the English-speaking world.
Originally opened in 1663 under a royal patent granted by Charles II, it holds the distinction of being the longest continuously operating theatre site in Britain.
Today, the venue seats approximately 2,100 and hosts musicals, opera, and symphonic concerts.
Visit the Theatre Royal Drury Lane website for more information and tickets.
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