The Saudi capital and the audience at Mohammed Abdu Arena had an exceptional New Year’s Eve with a star-studded concert performed by 13 singers who welcomed 2023 with promises, hopes, and dreams.
Held as part of the Riyadh Season, the concert dubbed ‘Trio Arabic Night’ brought together Najwa Karam, Assi el-Hallani, Wael Kfoury, Saber Rebai, Nancy Ajram, Nawal al-Zoghbi, Latifa, Asala, Bahaa Sultan, Angham, Elissa, and Walid Touffic. They performed as duos and trios for the first time in a massive event that ran through the early hours of Sunday.
During the first few hours of the new year, the Saudi capital enjoyed fireworks that illuminated the city from different spots, accompanied by the countdown displayed on the huge screen at Mohammed Abdu Arena, while the participating stars took the stage and sang alongside the audience to happily welcome the new year.
Visitors of the Riyadh Boulevard, a Riyadh Season zone that hosted the concert and the audience on big screens, enjoyed the new year’s countdown, the launch of the fireworks, and the resumption of the concert that featured diverse duo and trio performances.
The concert was led by three esteemed maestros. The thousands of attendees and the millions of people watching on screens enjoyed the performance of the singers and the remarkable mastery of maestros Amir Abdul Majid, Hani Farhat, and Midhat Khamis in coordinating the medleys and musical groups.
The event’s biggest surprise was George Wassouf although his name wasn’t enlisted among the partaking artists. He sang his famous song “Law Nawet” with Nancy Ajram and Latifa, and “Kalam el-Nass” with Nawal al-Zoghbi and Saber Rebai.
The presence of Wassouf thrilled the audience and fueled the ambiance with more enthusiasm. In the first moments of the new year, the singer expressed his joy for partaking in the concert, wishing everyone a happy new year. For the evening, he performed one of Abdel Halim Hafez’s masterpieces and many of his own songs.
The evening included short reports on the history of Arabic art and many prominent figures who shaped the artistic scene and the Arabic music culture. Some of those like late maestro Tarek Akef and late singer Wadih el-Safi passed away leaving behind a great heritage. This exceptional, Arabic evening embraced by the Saudi capital on New Year’s Eve was a message of appreciation and acknowledgment of their esteemed heritage.
Upon the request of Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of General Authority for Entertainment, Lebanese singer Walid Touffic sang solo in honor of Saudi Arabia, performing “Ya Saudia Ya Hobi Ana”, which Touffic composed for Talal Maddah.
The audience sang along to Touffic and sent him a tribute of love and loyalty in return. The Lebanese singer spoke about his connection with Saudi Arabia, highlighting its support of Arabic art and symbols, and its role in promoting the artistic movement and competition, noting that Saudi Arabia’s people and leadership are valuable for him and all the Arabic artists given the kingdom’s contributions to their journeys towards stardom.
In the end of the unforgettable Trio Arab Night, the 13 artists lined up on stage accompanied with light shows and the interaction of the audience, and sang “Andak Bahriya” with the photo of Wadih el-Safi in the background. The song, composed by Mohammed Abdul Wahab, was performed as a tribute to Safi and his contributions to the Arabic art. The artists also performed the Lebanese Dabke and played drums together.
