Goodbye, ma'am
The late great artist Umm Kulthum, nicknamed the Star of the East, filled the world and occupied people with her art that captured the hearts of millions during her lifetime, and for several generations after her passing. On the day of her farewell, her audience cried for her, saying, “Goodbye, madam.”
Umm Kulthum was not only a great artist who presented the masterpieces of Arabic music and authentic singing, but she was also a woman with a strong personality, sharp intelligence, loyalty and love for her country, and for charitable and humanitarian work.
After the 1967 war, Umm Kulthum made a decision that was perhaps the first of its kind made by an artist in the world to express her pain and sadness, saying: "I will not sing as long as my country suffers defeat". Many of her friends tried to convince her to go back on her decision, but she insisted on her position until the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser told her that her voice instilled hope in the hearts of the people and made them able to stand firm until victory was achieved. She then made the decision that all the proceeds from her concert would be allocated to support the war effort, and the total, including the donations she collected, amounted to nearly one million pounds.
This picture is the cover of Al-Mawed (issue 649, issued on February 13, 1975), which was issued after her death. Most of its pages were devoted to talking about her and her artistic career, and it bore the title: “Goodbye, Madam.”
This image has been converted from the original medium format film, resulting in a sharp and detailed image.
By May Serbey Chehab, from the Book "Boulevard of Stars: The Golden Age of Arab Entertainment".
Umm Kulthum was not only a great artist who presented the masterpieces of Arabic music and authentic singing, but she was also a woman with a strong personality, sharp intelligence, loyalty and love for her country, and for charitable and humanitarian work.
After the 1967 war, Umm Kulthum made a decision that was perhaps the first of its kind made by an artist in the world to express her pain and sadness, saying: "I will not sing as long as my country suffers defeat". Many of her friends tried to convince her to go back on her decision, but she insisted on her position until the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser told her that her voice instilled hope in the hearts of the people and made them able to stand firm until victory was achieved. She then made the decision that all the proceeds from her concert would be allocated to support the war effort, and the total, including the donations she collected, amounted to nearly one million pounds.
This picture is the cover of Al-Mawed (issue 649, issued on February 13, 1975), which was issued after her death. Most of its pages were devoted to talking about her and her artistic career, and it bore the title: “Goodbye, Madam.”
This image has been converted from the original medium format film, resulting in a sharp and detailed image.
By May Serbey Chehab, from the Book "Boulevard of Stars: The Golden Age of Arab Entertainment".