Fairuz fans stage sit-in as Mansour Rahbani heirs demand their legal rights

By Nohad Topalian in Beirut
For Al-Shorfa.com
2010-07-27



				[JOSEPH FADDOUL/Al-Shorfa] Fairuz fans staged a symbolic sit-in on the steps of the National Museum in Beirut.

[JOSEPH FADDOUL/Al-Shorfa] Fairuz fans staged a symbolic sit-in on the steps of the National Museum in Beirut.

Hundreds of Fairuz fans staged a symbolic sit-in on the steps of the National Museum in Beirut on Monday (July 26th) to protest a rumored ban preventing Lebanon's "ambassador to the stars" from singing.

The demonstrators, who called themselves "We Are Fairuz", donned yellow clothes, Fairuz's favorite colour. They held signs containing excerpts of songs written by Assi and Mansour Rahbani, as Fairuz's voice wafted over loudspeakers installed around the place.

Intellectuals and artists from all over the Arab world also took part in the protest. They included Julia Boutros, Abdel Karim Shaar and Egyptian actress Elham Shahin.

"While my colleagues are holding protests in Egypt, I have come here to protest in the home country of Fairuz, because she belongs to the whole Arab world, and her songs are ours, not hers," Shahin told Al-Shorfa.

Also present at the protest was Fairuz's daughter Rima who said, "I have come to hear the voice of Fairuz together with the Fairuzites."

The protest came after media reports claiming that Mansour Rahbani's heirs have banned Fairuz from singing.

A disagreement emerged between the heirs of the two Rahbani Brothers about reserving the legal rights of Mansour's heirs to the collaborative works produced by the brothers, and which Fairuz, Assi Rahbani's widow, wants to perform without their prior consent.

The disagreement gained public attention after the management of Casino du Liban refused to allow Fairuz to perform the play "Yaeesh Yaeesh" (Long Live, Long Live).

According to the Casino's management, Mansour's children, Ossama, Ghadi and Marwan, did not grant them permission to allow Fairuz to perform the play.

The refusal led to a campaign launched in Lebanese and Arab media accusing the heirs of Mansour of "banning Fairuz from singing", a charge that Ossama Rahbani denied in an interview with bilmersad.com.

"We did not ban her from singing. We are just demanding our rights", said Ossama, who denied media reports of a court injunction preventing Fairuz from singing.

Mansour's heirs released a legal statement stating Fairuz does not have the right to record a Rahbani Brothers song without the consent of the composer or his heirs, according to the rules and regulations of the Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers (SACEM).

The statement also said that according to intellectual property laws, Mansour's heirs are entitled to revenues from any performances of these songs.

The heirs accused Rima Rahbani of trying to negate Mansour's role in the Rahbani works.

Elias Hanna, former attorney of the Rahbani brothers and Assi and Mansour's brother-in-law, said that he had tried to prevent this disagreement from coming out into the open.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing that I could do about this," he told Al-Shorfa. "I have tried as a close relative to resolve this dispute amicably through a project that would determine how Rahbani Brothers works could be exploited in the future, but I was not able to have the signature of both parties."

"Had Assi and Mansour still been alive, we would not have arrived at this situation," he said.

He attributed the dispute to emotions running high on both sides.

"Mansour's sons released their statement to respond to the slander campaign against them. I don't think they will keep quiet," Hanna said.

"We want an amicable settlement that secures the rights of both parties," he added.

Hanna said the dispute revolves around article 6 of the Intellectual Property Law, which stipulates that the right to exploit the collaborative works belongs to the authors or their heirs, and that no one is exclusively entitled to it.

"Mansour's children say that any performance should have their prior permission, and the same should apply to Assi's children. The dispute is centred around this legal point," he added.

Elias Rahbani said he was pained by this turn of events between the children of his two brothers.

He told Al-Shorfa, "I am very disappointed with what is happening. They are my children and my family. I tried to intervene in order to reconcile them, but no one seems to listen. They are all grown-ups, and I cannot tell them what to do. I have grown tired of this, so I have stepped back. Now, the case is in the hands of lawyers, so that a solution can be reached for a problem that I wish did not arise in the first place."

Poet Henry Zgheib, who is close to both parties, told Al-Shorfa, "The problem is not between Fairuz and Mansour's children, rather it is between the heirs of Assi, Nohad Haddad and his sons, and the heirs of Mansour. In this context, we should differentiate between Fairuz the artist and Nohad Haddad the wife and heir. They have to resolve this issue among themselves."

Literary critic and journalist Abdo Wazen, who is close to Fairuz, said that "no one is preventing Fairuz from singing". He accused Mansour's heirs of overstepping their boundaries.

But journalist Imad Moussa said that "the case is being blown out of proportion."

"The people are for Fairuz to be able to sing," he added, "but legally, there is a clear stipulation regarding the joint theatrical performances by the Rahbani Brothers."

Moussa described the statement by Mansour's children as containing sound legal clauses.

"Despite all our love for Fairuz, the icon of Lebanon, my sympathy for her doesn't allow me to bypass the law and its stipulations. All that did not warrant these campaigns. I hope that a mediator will intervene to put an end to what is happening," he said.

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Reader Comments

joun2010-08-22 02:05:00

Lebanese songs are among the best Arab songs, performed by Lebanese singers. The latter perform nice songs that spread all over the Arab world, and many Arab young people who are greatly inspired by Lebanese songs and young stars. They even imitate them. Even the elderly think that the old Lebanese song stirs their feelings and emotions. Hearing these songs with their rhythms and nice lyrics delights them. As a matter of fact, Lebanese songs were and are still nice. Lebanon has given birth to many stars who have became famous in all the Arab world, especially as the Lebanese care greatly for their songs and the way they are presented. Indeed, the Lebanese were pioneers in adopting the video clip technique and shooting in European cities and beautiful places. They also look for modern music arrangements in addition to beautiful tunes and romantic lyrics, because Lebanese romantic songs are considered among the best romantic songs in the Arab world, and they are very famous among lovers in many Arab countries.

اميره فرحان سليمان2010-08-15 12:05:00

Today's songs are unsuccessful. I do not think that they will reach the level of Fairuz’s or the old generation’s songs. The latter are timeless and memorable.

2010-08-15 04:03:00

Fairuz is a Lebanese singer who has achieved great fame. She is from Lebanon, the country of art and music. She is an extraordinary phenomenon in the field of music. She has worked with great musicians and composers, which has distinguished her from other singers. She was ranked the first in the field of music during her era, and she is still number one. It is difficult to compare the memorable songs of Fairuz to the current ones. The latter are easily forgotten after listening to them one day or two, and at most a week. Here lies the big difference. The songs of Fairuz are old but they are still remembered, and she still enjoys the same popularity and respect. However, the current songs are just remembered for a few days and no more. The current songs do not have clear meanings. Thus, the focus is more on the music video, the way it was filmed, on the girls participating in it, and on the costumes and fashion, rather than on beautiful tunes and lyrics which attract the listener and inspire him to reach the level of Fairuz. This shows that the current songs lack nice tunes and beautiful lyrics. The other difference is in terms of character. In fact, no singer has Fairuz’s strong character. Today’s singers try to win the hearts of their public through plastic surgery and makeup. However, Fairuz has won public acclaim without being a fascinating beauty. She has not resorted to plastic surgery, as she knows that her beautiful voice, like the nightingale, is the key to her success.

عبدالرحمن عايض2010-08-15 04:02:00

The Lebanese singer Fairuz is the foremost Arab artist. We will never forget her beautiful voice. In fact, she is blessed with a nice voice and her songs are still branded on our memory, even though they are old. Fairuz has achieved great success with her songs. She has been famous, not only in Lebanon but also in all Arab countries and Arab communities abroad. Thus, I believe that she is a phenomenon in the field of Arab music. She has performed in many concerts in different countries. All people love her and enjoy her songs, which delight everyone. She has been honored in all countries and nicknamed the “Morning Nightingale” because she sings like a nightingale; a bird famous for its nice tunes and melodies. All people have become accustomed to her beautiful voice in the morning when waking up or going to work. The songs of Fairuz, despite their old arrangement and tunes, are still outstripping today’s songs, although there is a significant development in acoustic studios and the equipment used. Fairuz was a master artist of Arab music, and what she has performed must be taught: the stunning performance, and the choice of nice and suitable songs which delight everybody. Fairuz has climbed the ladder of fame in record time. Her voice cannot be forgotten and she will be remembered over generations, because good and distinguished people always are.

هى عاوز تغنى تانى نفس الاغانى ليه2010-08-14 22:05:00

I don’t understand why she is coming back and why she doesn’t stay home. We understand that art is in your blood, but she is singing the same songs that we have heard. These songs are available on CDs, on cassettes and on the Internet. I don’t understand why the artists get mad when they grow old and feel that they have lost their fame. Why should this happen? Oh, my God, it is a time of cheap arts!

ابوايهم2010-08-14 21:03:00

Fairuz, you are an eternal voice. You are the love that never ends. You are the angel that has come from heavens to ignite the feelings of humanity and open the springs of love. You voice is a lifeline and guidance for lovers. We find love and longings in your voice. You are love, mother, homeland, pride, power and beauty. You are everything and without you, we are nothing. You will survive and resist. All of us will support you.

harouni2010-08-14 11:04:00

With all due respect, the artist Fayruz is like any other artists, we hear her in the morning and the evening, as we hear others. If there were no songs by Fayruz, we could simply hear other songs, and we would not be in need of her songs.

Maya2010-08-13 15:02:00

God be with you!

اسماعيل2010-08-11 15:04:00

Fayrouz is an icon in the Arab world. In the past, she presented very beautiful songs that are still branded on the memory of every Arab citizen, as she achieved fame, not only in Lebanon but also in all Arabic countries at an early age. But now, if we compare the old and the new songs of any singer, not only Fayrouz, we find that there is a big difference at the level of performance, as well as the songs presented. Each era has its own features, and now Fayrouz is getting older; her performance and voice have changed. As she felt this change, she retired from singing, because when an artist grows up, his vocal chords get tired due to the many concerts he has held and the long hours he has sung. But Fayrouz will remain an original name as a pioneer in the Arab music world, as she presented the most beautiful masterpieces when she was young. She sang for love, for the homeland and for many Arab countries with her nice voice, a fact that causes her to win people's hearts throughout many Arab countries. I think that despite the change in Fairouz's voice and the type of songs she was performing, nothing will affect this artist, who I think will remain forever ranked among the best singers who presented the best songs in the golden age, as it is called.

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