- World premiere of the epic symphonic oratorio “Ousafirou Wahdi Malikan” co-produced by Oussama Rahbani and Abu Dhabi Festival
- Hiba Tawaji awarded the National Order of the Cedar (Knight)
- Mansour Rahbani honoured with the Abu Dhabi Festival Award (presented in association with Chopard), received by his sons Oussama, Ghadi, and Marwan Rahbani
Beirut, 15 January 2026
Under the patronage of the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and attended by leading political, diplomatic, cultural and artistic figures, alongside extensive Lebanese and Arab media coverage, Beirut hosted on January 13 and 14 the world premiere of the epic symphonic oratorio “Ousafirou Wahdi Malikan” at the historic Sacred Heart Church (Collège du Sacré-Cœur – Frères), Gemmayzeh.
On a night shaped by poetry and symphonic grandeur, the voice of Lebanese international star Hiba Tawaji rose through the verses of Mansour Rahbani, entwining with the orchestral score composed by maestro Oussama Rahbani. The performance was delivered by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, with the participation of the Notre Dame University–Louaize Choir, conducted by Father Khalil Rahme, in a co-production between Abu Dhabi Festival and Oussama Rahbani, a landmark event crowning the nationwide centennial celebrations dedicated to Mansour Rahbani.
Abu Dhabi Festival as part of its Abroad Program for 2026, and through a collaboration between Oussama Rahbani and the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), Beirut witnessed the birth of the monumental symphonic oratorio “Ousafirou Wahdi Malikan (I Journey Alone, as a King) drawn from Mansour Rahbani’s book of the same title, its poetic texts met the sweep of Rahbani’s symphonic writing and the singular presence of Hiba Tawaji, accompanied by the visiting Ukrainian orchestra, which travelled especially from abroad for this major centennial finale.
Following the Lebanese and Ukrainian national anthems, the evening unfolded as a meticulously crafted audio-visual experience, realized at the highest artistic and technical standards within the sacred setting of the venue, whose history and spirituality lent the performance an added resonance. With narrator Jad Rahbani guiding the journey, Mansour’s poems set sail into expansive realms of music and beauty, drawing the audience into his wide, cosmic vision and philosophical meditation on the great questions: life and death, art and the human condition, departure and absence, being and exile, earth and love, women and homelands…
This vast horizon, charged with existential breadth, was transformed by Oussama Rahbani into an epic oratorio, woven from intricate symphonic writing that affirms his distinctive voice as a composer. His score carried the poems like luminous vessels, at times resembling a procession of apocalyptic ships crossing storm-tossed seas, reaching toward the heavens, and building bridges between eras, places and imagined worlds.
And then there was Hiba Tawaji’s voice, at once thunderous, intimate and radiant, propelling the oratorio’s breath and spirit into wider territories of emotion and artistic revelation: an operatic performance of the highest caliber, rich with expressive intensity and refined artistry that captivated hearts and stirred the hall.
Last night was no ordinary concert, nor a passing cultural moment. It felt like a royal procession escorting the timeless poems Mansour Rahbani wrote in the ink of spirit and the light of thought. Music became a torch, passed from generation to generation, illuminating the path of art and the throne of poetry, as time and place seemed to merge and rise toward rare clarity. In this sense, the performance stood as a fitting culmination for the centennial celebrations of Mansour Rahbani, whose pioneering works helped shape the contours of modern Arab musical theatre, and whose legacy remains vivid in the Arab cultural memory, retaining its brilliance across generations.
National Honours and Awards
At the close of the evening, Hiba Tawaji was honored by the Presidency of the Lebanese Republic: she received the National Order of the Cedar awarded by President General Joseph Aoun and conferred by Lebanon’s Minister of Culture Dr. Ghassan Salameh.
the prestigious Abu Dhabi Festival Award, presented in collaboration with Chopard, was conferred posthumously upon Mansour Rahbani. The prestigious award was presented by Her Excellency Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), and Founder and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival and received by Mansour Rahbani sons, Oussama, Marwan and Ghadi Rahbani. Awarded annually, the Abu Dhabi Festival Award honors individuals whose exceptional contributions have shaped and advanced the cultural and artistic landscape. In recognizing the Rahbani brothers, the award acknowledges their lasting influence and vital role in preserving, reinterpreting and advancing one of the Arab world’s most influential musical and theatrical traditions.
About the Oratorio “Ousafirou Wahdi Malikan”
A co-production between Oussama Rahbani and the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) within Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad.
- Music composed by: Oussama Rahbani
- Vocals: Hiba Tawaji
- With: National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
- And Notre Dame University–Louaize Choir, conducted by Father Khalil Rahme
- Narrator: Jad Rahbani
About the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF):
Founded in 1996, ADMAF is one of the first cultural organizations in the Arabian Gulf. Pioneering new artistic practices, it seeks to deepen global cross-cultural dialogue and inspire a renewed interest in the creativity of the UAE and Arab world. Often in partnership with leading national and international institutions, it delivers multidisciplinary initiatives for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities through the Abu Dhabi Festival, year-round youth platforms and community programs.
For more information, please visit ADMAF website at: www.admaf.org.
About Abu Dhabi Festival:
Founded in 2004, the Abu Dhabi Festival was generously granted the patronage of the President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, from 2007 to 2011. The first Abu Dhabi Festival was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the then Minister of Information and Culture (UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs). Abu Dhabi Festival is the festival of “Bilad Al Khayr”, the land of blessings, the land of Zayed, and embraces the values of dialogue, tolerance, respect and peace.
For more information, please visit www.abudhabifestival.ae.