Mohammed Abdel Wahab Museum
Ramses, Azbakia, Cairo, Egypt
About
This specialised museum is perhaps a museum best appreciated by culture and music lovers. Composer and oud player Mohammed Abdel Wahab wrote more than a thousand songs and personally sang hundreds. He started to write traditional melodies but later on Western influences affected his music. After visiting Paris in the late 1920s, Mohammed Abdel Wahaab created his own style of Arabic film musical, introducing the romantic hero - one of light-hearted wit and sophistication. His films portrayed westernised social elite and featured music that broke from tradition and audiences loved it. The film "The White Flower" was a phenomenon, breaking attendance records. Abdel Wahab left film in the 1950s to concentrate on singing but ub 1960 he stopped singing and continued composing for other singers. It was in 1964 that after years of rivalry at the top of their profession Om Kalthoum released a composition of Abdel Wahab on a text of Ahmad Rami "Enta Omri" written specially for her. The song instantly became a hit. His museum enables the visitor to catch a glimpse of the life of one of Egypt's most beloved actors. It is divided into several halls one of them being the Memorabilia Hall which in turn comprises two suites. The first one sheds light on Mohamed Abdel Wahab's childhood, his upbringing, his first steps in the world of art and music, his connection to the Arab Music Institute, the Egyptian cinema, the relationship with writers and artists and the prizes and honours he received. The second suite represents some of his private rooms such as his bedroom and his private office as well as a collection of his favourite pieces of furniture and other personal belongings. The Movies' Hall includes all the films Mohamed Abdel Wahab starred in. In order to enhance the clarity of the pictures they are screened on special plasma screens. The Audio-Visual Hall contains a complete archive of his works, his artistic profile and his relations with prominent figures, kings and presidents. Films can easily be viewed by a system of touch screens. The Museum falls under the auspices of the Arabic Music Institute andis located at their premises. Story and information: http://www.lscarrent.com/Blog/index.php/global/museum-musician-mohamed-abdel-wahab-102.htm http://www.belly-dance.org/mohamed-abdelwahab.html Mohammed Abdel Wahab Museum 22 Ramses Street (Just before Al-Tawfiqiya) Downtown Cairo Tel: (+202)25743373
