venerdì 19 ottobre 2012

Portrait of a Princess

 Princess Durri-Chechvar Sultane

Princess and daughter of Caliph Abdulmecid II  (born May 30, 1868, Constantinople, Ottoman Empire [now Istanbul, Tur.]—died Aug. 23, 1944, Paris, Fr.), was the last caliph and crown prince of the Ottoman dynasty of Turkey. 


9 years old.
Photograph by Sebah & Joaillier, July 1923


giovedì 18 ottobre 2012

Fairuz - Shahrazad

This song is from a musical about the 1001 Nights starring Fairuz.


(The choir)
Oh Shahrazad, sing for love, sing for the nights, love has returned
Oh Shahrazad, the farness is close in my mind despite the distance
Repeat it again, and again, and again oh Shahrazad
How come these songs are bringing us back to the joys that were once ours?
The days of youth, the flower of the evenings
Fragrance has returned to the story
Repeat it again, and again, and again oh Shahrazad   

(Fairuz as Shahrazad)

I am Shahrazad of the poem and my voice is the song of pain
Every day I once again leave in the morning
Shahryar used to destroy women
Destroying the poems, and the people, and the names
I've seen the tears of the virgins and heart the weeping of the years
And how the virgins are lost in a palace of pain and moaning
And then Shahryar started staying up late every night longing
And thus became a prisoner for 1000 nights
And became a prisoner to the story
And so the story will free the female captives
Rise up, oh captives, for I am Shahrazad


(the choir)
Oh beautiful Shahrazad bend slowly
And fly like a song in the night and go

(Shahrazad)
Oh you who blame me in love, love is but a reproach
The distance has made my tears run and exhaustion healed me
Since you told me you loved me, I've lowered my eyes in shame
Let's talk about our first night

فيروز - شهرزاد

يا شهرزاد غني الهوى غني الليالي فالشوق عاد
يا شهرزاد و للنوى قصر ببالي رغم البعاد
و أعيدي و أعيدي وأعيدي يا شهرزاد
ما للأغاني عادت بنا صوب المغاني التي لنا
يوم الصبايا زهر العشايا و للحكايا عطر يعاد
و أعيدي و أعيدي وأعيدي يا شهرزاد

أنا شهرزاد القصيدة و صوتي غناء الجراح
أنا كل يوم جديدة أهاجر عند صباح
و كان شهريار يبدد النساء
يبدد الأشعار و الناس و الأسماء
رأيت دموع العذارى سمعت بكاء السنين
و كيف تضيع العذارى بقصر الضنى و الآنين
و كان شهريار يسهر كل ليلة
مستوحشا فصار سجين ألف ليلة
و صار سجين الحكاية
و قلت للحكاية ألا حرري السجينات
إنهضن يا سجينات أنا شهرزاد

يا حلوة الغزل ميلي على مهل
طيري كأغنية في الليل و إرتحلي

يا لائمي في الهوى إن الهوى عتب
أجرى دموعي النوى و شفاني التعب
مذ قلت حبك لي أغضيت من خجلي
خلي الكلام على ليلاتنا الأول

To read the whole story about Shahrazad click at the following link:

photo by: Fatima Abbadi


lunedì 8 ottobre 2012