Mohammed El-Bakkar
Encyclopedia
Mohammed El-Bakkar was a Lebanese
tenor
, oud
player, and conductor.
El-Bakkar was a noted tenor and appeared in several Arabic-language films. He moved to the United States in 1952 and lived in Brooklyn
. He released several LPs of Arabic music in the United States. He also played a singing Oriental rug
salesman in the Broadway musical
Fanny
, in the Oriental bazaar scene; the production ran from 1954 to 1956.
He died of a cerebral hemorrhage on September 8, 1959, at the age of 46, after collapsing while performing at an annual Lebanese American festival in Lincoln, Rhode Island
.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
player, and conductor.
El-Bakkar was a noted tenor and appeared in several Arabic-language films. He moved to the United States in 1952 and lived in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. He released several LPs of Arabic music in the United States. He also played a singing Oriental rug
Oriental rug
An authentic oriental rug is a handmade carpet that is either knotted with pile or woven without pile.By definition - Oriental rugs are rugs that come from the orient...
salesman in the Broadway musical
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
Fanny
Fanny (musical)
Fanny is a musical with a book by S. N. Behrman and Joshua Logan and music and lyrics by Harold Rome. A tale of love, secrets, and passion set in and around the old French port of Marseille, it is based on Marcel Pagnol's trilogy of plays entitled Marius, Fanny and César.The musical premiered on...
, in the Oriental bazaar scene; the production ran from 1954 to 1956.
He died of a cerebral hemorrhage on September 8, 1959, at the age of 46, after collapsing while performing at an annual Lebanese American festival in Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 21,105 at the 2010 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence....
.
Discography
- Port Said: Music of the Middle East, Vol. 1 (Audio Fidelity RecordsAudio Fidelity RecordsAudio Fidelity Records, was a record company out of New York City, most active during the 1950s and 1960s. They are best known for having produced the first mass-produced American stereophonic long-playing record in November 1957 .-Background:Sidney Frey , founder and president of...
) - Sultan of Bagdad: Music of the Middle East, Vol. 2 (Audio Fidelity Records)
- Music of the African Arab: Music of the Middle East, Vol. 3 (Audio Fidelity Records)
- The Magic Carpet: Music of the Middle East, Vol. 4 (Audio Fidelity Records)
- Dances of Port Said: Music of the Middle East, Vol. 5 (Audio Fidelity Records)
- Exotic Music of The Belly Dancer: Music of the Middle East, Vol. 6 (Audio Fidelity Records)