The residents of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley experienced a night filled with traditional melodies and folk songs from their hometown artist Melhem Zein during the Thursday evening festivities as part of the Baalbek International Festivals, which saw a large turnout from the audience. Zein presented a selection of his most beautiful traditional and popular songs. Due to the crowding, the festival management and the mayor, Mustafa Al-Shal, had to apologize to fans who remained outside the venue, listening from balconies, nearby buildings, and surrounding roads.
Zein entered the Temple of Bacchus stage to loud applause, opening the night with the songs "Hilm Al-Ard," "Mil Alayna Al-Layl," and "Raddo Habibi," which he is famous for performing. The attendees danced in their seats, joyfully embracing the festive atmosphere.
In a special conversation with Reuters, he stated, "No matter how much we sing, we will not graduate or become stars unless our voices resonate over the Baalbek Fortress and we sing on its steps. The night for the locals represents a meeting of souls, for here are my people who suffer yearly and deserve a night of joy, but the audience today came from different regions and cities."
Regarding his participation in the festival as a star for the first time, Zein commented, "The Baalbek stage entices any artist, and hopefully, we leave a mark like our greats did. Standing here brought me back in time to the giants who stood before us and wrote an unforgettable history; I felt the responsibility."
Zein also performed a collection of traditional folk songs such as "Baalbek Baladna W Ma Lna Anha Ghna," in addition to "Wadi'iyyat," which are excerpts from the songs of the late artist Wadi' Al-Safi.
The Baalbek Festival nights are set to continue until July 16th, with a performance by French artist Emmanuelle.
