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Al-Ahram Weekly 3 - 9 February 2000 Issue No. 467 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 3 - 9 February 2000 Issue No. 467
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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In 1989, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni unveiled plans to commemorate Egypt's most celebrated singers. Figures like Abdel-Wahab and Abdel-Halim Hafez were proposed, but Hosni began with the Umm Kulthoum Museum -- the first of its kind in Egypt. The ministry allocated a budget of around LE5 million.
Waiting for daylight
Eleven years ago, the Ministry of Culture gave the go-ahead to a project for an Umm Kulthoum museum in the annex of the Manasterli Palace. Reham El-Adawi follows up on progress
An early photo of the Diva as starlet
A decade later, the house of memorabilia containing items of interest to Umm Kulthoum admirers is still unfinished. "As soon as I disclosed the project, I received masses of phone calls from Umm Kulthoum fans in the Middle East and Europe who were willing to donate rare objects related to her," Hosni says triumphantly. And yet, no date has been set for the opening.
The museum is located in the 250-square-metre annex of the palace of Al-Manasterli Pasha on Roda island, previously occupied by the headquarters of a national institution for the preservation of classical Arabic music. The site was chosen as part of a larger cultural renaissance in the Al-Manasterli area, which also contains the Nilometre. With its quiet location overlooking the water, the new museum boasts one of Cairo's most enchanting views, and brings together two of Egypt's most revered icons: the Nile and Umm Kulthoum.
The Ottoman-style building, with its tall wooden doors, stained glass windows and exceptionally high ceiling, is currently divided into two wide halls and a small room. The museum is intended to recreate the epoch of Umm Kulthoum and attest to her remarkable character. The idea was conceived and drafted by Enzo Serani, an Italian expert in museum design.
A rare view of a moment of relaxation
The interior is being redone to accommodate audiovisual libraries, a cinema to show her six movies and a hall to showcase new talent. There is also a library housing virtually everything written on the legendary singer, as well as a stage, where visitors can see her statue as well as those of her composers and musicians. The statue of Umm Kulthoum, currently located on the grounds of the Opera House, will be moved to the front of the museum.
Acquisitions for the museum began in February 1989, when former head of the Cultural Development Fund (CDF) Samir Gharib organised an exhibition of some of Umm Kulthoum's belongings, including her signature eye-glasses and crescent-shaped brooch. A committee headed by the museum's director, poet Ahmed Antar, was formed to examine the items intended for the collection. Most acquisitions were donated by the singer's relatives and veteran photographer Farouk Ibrahim, who took what are now rare and valuable photos during her trips in the 1960s. Some pieces were offered by friends and fans.
The exhibits will include the singer's gowns, shoes, handbags, silk scarves, gloves, prayer mat, radio, record player, diary and furniture. Visitors will also view drafts of songs corrected by the singer herself and correspondence between her and the great singer Abdel-Wahab and the gifted poets Ahmed Rami and Ahmed Shawqi. A collection of Umm Kulthoum's medals, including King Farouk's Order of Perfection (received in 1946) and President Abdel-Nasser's Order of Merit (received in 1960) will also be on display.
Twenty-five years after her death, it seems that a place dedicated to the history of this legendary singer and cultural icon is long overdue. Though the Ministry of Culture has a long way to go to compensate for its failure to negotiate the property of her Zamalek home -- sold by her heirs and razed for redevelopment -- completing the current project would be a good start.
