The Temples of Baalbek Bear Witness... The Second International Festivals

Baalbek, city of the sun. And the traces of the gods' footsteps across the darkness of remote ages rise again today — Baalbek was, and still is, a wellspring of inspiration for artists through the ages, who find in the shade of its mighty columns delight for eye, heart, and mind.

The first to think of putting the temples of Baalbek to use in the fields of the arts were three persons: the first, Jean Marchat of the Comédie-Française troupe; the rising painter Francis Saville; and the young Lebanese Tony Kazzi. The idea was presented to His Excellency the President of the Republic for execution on the occasion of the Tourism Year last year; His Excellency welcomed the matter and the idea became a reality — and that was the first artistic festival...

In recognition of the project's importance, the Chamber of Deputies voted a sum of money to strengthen it — and the Commissariat of Tourism and Summering, headed by Mr. Michel Toma, deserves the greatest credit for the publicity given to this festival, unique of its kind.

The results were dazzling. And this very success was the first spur to think of repeating the venture. Those in charge of this artistic movement said: why not hold an artistic festival in Lebanon every summer, with the temples of Baalbek — and perhaps Beiteddine, Byblos, and others — as its stage?

A mixed committee of Lebanese was formed under the patronage of His Excellency President Chamoun, chaired by Madame Charles Kettaneh, who has given, and still gives, of her time, her energy, and her money for the success of the project.

The committee began its work by making contact with the governments of West Germany, France, and England, in order to contract, through them, with the most important artistic companies, musical and theatrical, and it met with the greatest encouragement. A rich program was drawn up for the purpose.

In view of the dazzling success achieved by the first international festival last year, whose operations were managed by Mr. Tony Kazzi with the assistance of Jean Marchat and Francis Saville, the committee thought it best to entrust the direction of this year's festival to the same trio — and this trio set to work at once and carried out preparatory tasks, among them: the lighting of the temples of Baalbek, which consumed 600 floodlights; the clearing of the courtyards of the stones scattered here and there; and the artistic preparation of the site, so that it became fitting and comfortable without losing anything of its authentic character.

Nor do we deny the government's credit for paving the road all the way to Baalbek; everyone who attended the festivals noticed the great change.

The second international festival began its activity on July 28 last with the classical musical programs presented by the "Hamburg Symphony Orchestra," under the direction of Georg Joschum and Leon Barzin. The orchestra is made up of eighty players, among them the world-famous pianist Wilhelm Kempff. On the occasion the orchestra played the second concerto of the Lebanese musician Anis Fuleihan, director of the National Conservatory, which made the loveliest impression on the audience.

The musical concerts of the "Hamburg Symphony Orchestra" ended on the fifth of August, and all eyes turned toward Jean Marchat's company, which was to occupy the courtyards of the Baalbek temples after it... Three plays were announced: "Julius Caesar" by Shakespeare, "La Machine Infernale" by Jean Cocteau, and "Mithridate" by Racine.

Worth mentioning is that the famous French author Jean Cocteau, winner of the "Nobel" Prize, came from France especially to see his play, which enjoyed the greatest currency and success in acting and production. Among the prominent members of "Jean Marchat's company": Jeanne Moreau and Germaine Montero — and its performances concluded on August 18.

The third and final round began on the evening of August 25, when the Robert Atkins company presented Shakespeare's two plays "Hamlet" and "Twelfth Night," and it had been expected in advance that the English company would express the spirit of the great dramatist better than the French company had done in "Julius Caesar."

In fact the French company excelled in the production and performance of Cocteau's play, inspired by contemporary French life, better than it did in Julius Caesar. As for the English Atkins company, it succeeded in the two Shakespeare plays, even to the point of brilliance, and the vast crowds bore the hardship of the journey to Baalbek and the long late hours... and were happy and content!

The Baalbek festivals have ended... and they met with a turnout beyond what had been reckoned for them. What further encouraged and strengthened them was the patronage extended to them by His Excellency President Chamoun and Madame his wife, who attended most of the performances. In recognition of his appreciation of this movement, His Excellency graciously pinned high decorations on the chests of prominent personalities: among them the committee's president, Mrs. Kettaneh, the French author Jean Cocteau, and some of the leaders of the musical and theatrical companies.

Lebanon will remain a balcony glittering with the light of knowledge, from which everyone who yearns to understand the good values in man may look out upon the world...

The Baalbek festivals are an outstanding progressive phenomenon, and the least we can do to express it is to offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to the energetic committee that watched all month over bringing the appointed program into execution — and with this dazzling triumph.