Over 40 artists have united to record a music video of ‘All I Longed To See’ from musical Broken Wings to raise funds for the Red Cross’ Beirut Emergency Appeal set up in the wake of the devastation caused by the explosion on 4 August 2020.
The video features West End stars and former cast members from the musical which received its international premiere in Lebanon last year accompanied by London-based musicians and members of The Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra in Beirut.
Announcing the project and paying tribute to those involved who all gave their services and time free of charge, the show’s co-creator Nadim Naaman said: “Watching events in Lebanon unfold over the last year has been extremely difficult. The tragedy of 4 August came on top of financial collapse, political malaise and the impact of Covid-19.
“This time last year, we had just performed Broken Wings in Beirut, and the world was a very different place. It is a musical about Lebanon, about The Lebanese, and we simply had to come together to help in some way. In the context of the show, ‘All I Longed To See’ is a love letter to this beautiful country. Particularly from the perspective of those who have had to leave Lebanon to find opportunities and safety elsewhere.
“It was the perfect choice for this project. I am hugely grateful to the many singers, musicians, creatives and videographers who have come together to create something to mark what has happened, and to raise invaluable funds to help those most in need and the rebuilding of Beirut. I would especially like to thank Southwark Playhouse and The Barn Theatre, Cirencester, who both reached out and offered their facilities to us, in a way that reminds us what can be achieved in a short time when the Theatre Community comes together to support one another. We hope that those who watch our video will feel inspired to donate to The Beirut Emergency Appeal.”
Filmed and recorded at Southwark Playhouse, the company is made up of Eva-Theresa Chokarian, Joseph Claus, Nadeem Crowe, Melissa Dano, Nikki Davison, Hiba Elchikhe, Soophia Foroughi, Fenton Gray, Rob Houchen, Irvine Iqbal, Hanna Khogali, Adam Linstead, Johan Munir, Nadim Naaman, Benjamin Purkiss, Lauren James Ray, Mia Richards, Jeremy Secomb, Jake Stewart, Aliza Vakil and Bethany Weaver. The Barn Theatre, Cirencester donated videography and post-production services.
Featuring a book by Naaman and music and lyrics by Naaman and Qatar-based composer Dana Al Fardan, Broken Wings is based on Lebanese-born writer Kahlil Gibran’s autobiographical poetic novel.
The story of Gibran’s youthful love affair with a businessman’s daughter received its semi-staged West End premiere in 2018 and was workshopped at The Other Palace last year ahead of a tour of the Middle East culminating in a run at the Dubai Opera House in January this year.
Angela Thomas
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