The Piccadilly Theatre in Rue Hamra, Beirut was a major venue for concerts, musicals and plays in Lebanon during the 1960s and the 1970s. The theatre was designed by Lebanese architect William Sednaoui in 1965 and was the first ever theatre on Rue Hamra. [1] Though it had a small number of seats (nearly 700), the Piccadilly was considered one of the most significant theatres in Lebanon, and the Middle East. The theatre closed down in the mid 1980s, soon after the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War which lasted from 1975 until 1990. It was run by the Mamiche & Itani company. In July 2022, it was announced that Piccadilly Theatre would be restored after closing 40 years prior. [2]
Among the important artists who performed there:
Lebanese diva Fairuz (where she performed 9 of her musicals from 1967 until 1978), and the French diva Dalida (where she performed 4 concerts in it from 1971 until 1975).
Dresdner Philharmonie (Dresden Philharmonic Concert Halls) led by Heinz Bongartz in January 1967 [3]
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As of 2014, Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region and the thirteenth-largest in the Arab world. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast. Beirut has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world.
Nouhad Wadie Haddad, known as Fairuz, is a Lebanese singer. She is considered by many as one of the leading vocalists and most famous singers in the history of the Arab world. Fairuz is considered the musical icon of Lebanon and is popularly known as "the soul of Lebanon".
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Heinz Bongartz was a German conductor and composer. He was the first artistic manager of the Dresdner Philharmonie under the East German regime. He headed the orchestra's first tour to the Middle East in January 1967 which began in Beirut, Lebanon. After performing at Beirut's Piccadilly Theatre they performed the first of three concerts at the Cairo Opera House on 8 June. The tour also included performances in Alexandria.
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