CAIRO - Despite the big difference between Hungarian and Egyptian culture, Hungarian singer Nora Ritner has broken through the barriers, coming to Egypt to learn more about Arabic music and skillfully entertain Egyptian audiences. Nora is wonderfully adept at singing the songs of legendary Egyptian diva Om Kolthoum. Arabic is a very rich language and it's also very difficult, which is something that greatly attracts Nora. The Hungarian singer started to sing Arabic songs on her own, although she had nothing to connect herself with the Arab world. "I began by listening to modern songs in Arabic, then a friend of mine told me about Om Kolthoum; when I listened to her, I loved the music because I am a musician," Nora, who is also a violinist in the Cairo Opera House Orchestra, told the Egyptian Mail. The beautiful singer said that she spent a whole hour listening to Om Kolthoum's ‘Hayret Alby Ma'ak', the first time she heard it. “Although the culture is very different, I immediately felt a great affinity for Om Kolthoum's songs,” she said. Coming Egypt on a scholarship to the Arts Academy in el-Haram, Giza, the Egyptian Ambassador in Hungary invited her to complete her studies in Arabic music in Egypt. So she and her Hungarian husband, also a musician, came to this country. "My husband loves what I'm doing and he loves music,” she added. Despite being very busy with the Cairo Opera House Orchestra, Nora took a fortnight's holiday to prepare for her first concert in Arabic of the songs of Kawkeb el-Sharq (Planet of the East), as Om Kolthoun is affectionately known in Arabic. "I found some Egyptian musicians to perform my first Om Kolthoum concert with me. They were very open and friendly," she told this paper after her first concert as a singer, held in Al-Sawy Cultural Centre in Zamalek. "This was my first Om Kolthoum concert in Egypt; I don't have any organised plan, but I wish to continue," she said. "To sing Om Kolthoum's songs is a great task for me, especially as my Arabic isn't perfect.” Asked whether she'd like to work with any of today's Egyptian or Arab singers, she replied: "I've heard many of them ��" like Asala, Angham and Nagwa Karem. I love them all, but I haven't got any plans yet." In her concert in Al-Sawy, Nora was full of surprises for the audience, as she sang not only songs by Om Kolthoum, but also some by legendary Algerian singer Warda, late musician and singer Mohamed Abdel-Wahab and Lebanese diva Fayrouz. "I chose my favourite Om Kolthoum songs, which are very close to me," she added, explaining that these songs are so attractive because of their deep, romantic feelings. "The Arabic language is also very rich.” She sang a number of songs, such as ‘Alf Leila we Leila' (Arabian Nights), ‘Lel Saber Hodud' (Patience has its Limits). and a mix of a Hungarian folk song and ‘Al-Fan' (Art) by Abdel-Wahab. At the end of the concert, Nora dedicated ‘Asfur Tal men el-Shobak' (A Sparrow Looked from the Window) by Lebanese singer Fayrouz to the Egyptian people; the song is all about freedom. The Hungarian singer found in the Egyptian audience to be good listeners. "They know the songs well and know a lot about music. Sad, romantic songs are an important part of Hungarian music," she added. Nora said that in Hungary, people were a little more involved in their daily problems, while Egyptians were more open and friendly, which had helped her a lot in her work as a musician and singer.
