Opening of the Art Masters Exhibition
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Alexandria, 9 March 2005—The Bibliotheca Alexandrina Arts Center is organizing a 10-day exhibition entitled Art Masters Exhibition, to be inaugurated on 10 March 2005. The exhibition will include selections from the collections of the musician, Sayed Darwish; the composer, Youssef Greiss; and the director, Shadi Abdel Salam, from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Special Collection.
Sayed Darwish, born on 17 March 1892, in Kom El-Dikka, Alexandria, was one of the leaders of the "cultural renaissance" that swept Egypt at the turn of the 20th Century. He studied in one of the schools affiliated to Al-Azhar for two years, where he learned religious singing and the recital of Koran. The British occupation and civil resistance influenced Darwish’s artistic personality. His music and lyrics expressed the daily life of underprivileged society members, and their happiness and sorrow. Although he passed away at an early age on 15 March 1923, Darwish drastically changed the musical scene in Egypt at that time. He is an icon of progress and modernity in music. He composed innovative operettas and ditties, Adwâr, muwashahat and light songs.
Youssef Greiss, born 1899, Cairo, was originally from a rich family from Upper Egypt. He played the oriental violin in his early years, tutored by Samy Al-Shawa and Mansour Awad. Later, he took violin lessons in occidental style with Adolf Menshah and Sandy Rosdol, and studied music composition under the guidance of Geno Takash. In August 1937, Greiss premiered his first symphonic poem Misr in Alexandria, conducted by Joseph Huttel. This was the first symphonic poem composed by an Egyptian artist about Egypt. Youssef Greiss passed away in 1961, Venice.
Shadi Abdel Salam, was born on 15 March 1930, Alexandria. He studied theater arts in London during 1949/50, architecture at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria University and graduated in 1955. He designed costumes and set decorations for many classic Egyptian films, and was also the historical consultant for set decoration and costumes in the Polish film, Pharaoh, directed by Kawalerowicz. He wrote the screenplay of Akhenaton (The Tragedy of the Great House) but did not direct it. He passed away in October 1986.
The exhibition, announced Maestro Sherif Mohie Eldin, Director of the Arts Center, aims to cast light on these Egyptian masters of art. This is in appreciation of the leading role they played in their fields. He added that the exhibition will include a selection of the collections of the three art masters. For Sayed Darwish, the musician’s Oud, selected rare photos, marriage contract, and some of his musical notes and discs will be on display. As for Youssef Greiss, the exhibition will include his piano, books, and some of his musical notes. And finally for Shadi Abdel Salam, the film-maker’s portraits, designs, accessories of his unfinished film Akhenaton (The Tragedy of the Great House), will be exhibited.