Festival Nights

On May 4, 1946, the "Young Woman's Renaissance" Society, attached to the Y.W.C.A. Cooperation Club, held an artistic evening on the stage of West Hall at the American University of Beirut.

The evening opened with the Lebanese anthem as His Excellency the Prime Minister appeared, accompanied by his daughter. After Miss Labanda Nassar delivered the society's address, the program of the evening followed in succession: the audience saw "The Merriment of the Andalusian Maidens," a "Scene from the Odyssey" of Homer, "An Evening of Lebanese Merrymaking," "The Dance of the Flowers," a "Play in One Act" by Mr. Musa Sulayman, and "The Anthem of the Flag" by Dr. Halim Saadeh, set to music by Mr. George Farhat.

Interspersed through the program was descriptive music from the orchestra of Michel Jamra, and Arabic music from Mr. George Farah.

The effort put into the production was plain: the costumes were beautiful, the colors harmonious, the makeup done with great taste. Had the two gifted artists Raafat Mujayri and Pierre Deeb been given ample time, and had their hands been left the freedom that art demands, all the scenes would have had a splendor that would truly have made it one of the "nights of a lifetime."

We must speak well of Mr. Musa Sulayman, the producer of the evening and the deviser of its scenes. But if it was fitting for his play to stand alongside the rest of the evening's scenes, it was not fitting at all that the program should close with it, for it cut short the flow of delight.

And finally — there was no one in the audience who did not admire "The Dance of the Flowers," or the beauty of Penelope (Nadia Nassar's role played by Nadia Bustani) despite the absence of expression on her enchanting face, or the presence of Minerva (Aida Nassar), or the gracefulness of Miss Angela Saber, or Miss Nadira Martini in her magnificent dance.