was in Egypt for the second time and he was not going to frustrate his fans again by presenting himself only as a composer, writes Nermin Nizar At the invitation of Al-Mawred Al-Thaqafi Cultural Fund Khalife gave two concerts last week, one at Cairo Opera House, the second at Saqiyat Al-Sawi. Judging by how quickly tickets for the two concerts sold out it is safe to assume that he is both hugely popular in Egypt and that his fans were not deterred by a 1997 concert when he sang only a couple of songs in order to prevent them from ripping down the theatre. Khalife does, however, seem to be determined to assert his lesser-known persona as a composer and opened both concerts with Muda'aba (Caress), his own composition and in which he was accompanied by his two sons, pianist Rami and percussionist Bashar. Indeed, Khalife's website foregrounds his work as a composer: his first public performances were as an ' oud player, the instrument that he studied and then taught in the Beirut Conservatoire. I remember, as a child, that the appearance of posters with a drawing of an ' oud ending in a fist meant that a concert was imminent. Although his repertoire is large Khalife is associated most closely with the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, to whom he dedicated songs in both concerts. He is far from being a mainstream performer, as was shown in his setting of one of Darwish's poems to music in the Andalusian mouashah style. His Cairo concerts included love songs, such as Rita, and other lyrics selected to make broader statements on art and politics. Paying tribute to Sayyed Darwish, and lamenting the way in which his musical heritage has been overshadowed by pedestrian pop, Khalife sang Til'it ya Mahla Nurha (Radiant, the Sun Rose). He then dedicated Asfur (Bird) to prisoners in Israeli and Arab prisons. During a press conference held at Al-Mawred Al-Thaqafi Khalife had identified culture as "the last trench" of resistance to sustained attacks on Arab reality from within and from without. In addition to his sons Khalife was accompanied by members of the Mayadeen troupe, most notably singer Omayma Al-Khalil. Khalife set up Al-Mayadeen in 1976 and has performed with them ever since. Khalife seems not only to conduct his troupe but also the audience. Lowering and raising the volume of his ' oud he was able to get the audience to sing along in the manner and volume he wished. The euphoria of many in the audience came not only from watching a favourite artist perform but from listening to him singing when, for three years, he had refrained from doing so. Dragged to court on charges of blasphemy in relation to the song Ana Yusuf Ya Abi (I am Joseph, Father), Khalife had announced an end to his performances. This is his first concert in Egypt since he relented. In June 2005 Khalife was chosen as a UNESCO Artist for Peace.
