Asala is in the crosshairs of criticism because of Hani Farhat
After circulating an old video, some considered it “embarrassing” to the Egyptian maestro
Wednesday – 1 Shaaban 1444 AH – 22 February 2023 AD
Asala in her concert at the Arab Music Festival 2019 (Egyptian Opera)
Cairo: Mahmoud Al-Rifai
An old video clip of the artist, Asala Nasri, dating back to the twenty-eighth session of the Arab Music Festival in Cairo in 2019, caused widespread criticism against her. As some considered it “embarrassing” to the Egyptian maestro.
Asala appeared in the circulating video, praising the maestro Khaled Fouad, who was present in the audience, before his death, affected by “Corona”, saying: “The most important maestro I dealt with and one of the most important people I dealt with in my life,” before the audience interrupted her for seconds with a warm applause. Maestro Hani Farahat, who was about one meter away from her, as the audience exchanged greetings, but she continued: “He is more important than Hani, and sweeter than Hani. He is the great maestro Khaled Fouad.” Later, Farhat realizes that she is not talking about him, so he turns his back on the audience.
Critic Mohamed Abdel Moneim narrates the scenes and details of that party, which took place nearly 3 and a half years ago, telling Asharq Al-Awsat: “This party was held in November of 2019, as part of the activities of the 28th session of the Arab Music Festival, and it was the first Asala appeared days after her official separation from Tariq Al-Arian, but she had not announced the separation to the media at the time, and tension appeared on Asala all the time, as she appeared affected at times from the concert when she was singing her dramatic songs.
Regarding her relationship with musician Hani Farhat at the ceremony, Abdel Moneim said: “The party was full of embarrassing situations between Asala and Hani Farhat. Hani Farhat always hosts food from her hands.
However, Abdel Moneim stressed that the incident of the video clip, which was recently circulated widely on social media sites, was “fragmented”: “Asala did that at the ceremony, but the video did not show the presence of Maestro Khaled Fouad, who was present among the audience, and the video did not mention that Khaled Fouad is Asala’s teacher and one of the reasons for her success in Egypt, and he also did not mention that Asala was always admonishing herself in television interviews because she was insufficient in asking about her teacher, nor did he mention that the musician Khaled Fouad was in a state of severe fatigue due to his kidney failure, and that his presence It was a surprise for everyone.”
And he added: “After Asala’s speech ended and her thanks to Maestro Khaled Fouad, Maestro Hani Farhat also praised and thanked Khaled Fouad, and asked his orchestra to stand for him out of respect for his history and artistic standing, and this appearance is considered the last for Khaled Fouad before his death in 2021, affected by his infection with the Corona virus.” .
On the other hand, the critic Ahmed Hussein Sawan believes that what Asala did at the party is “unprofessional or unprofessional.” Because Hani Farhat is a great maestro and has his value and artistic stature, and it is enough that he is the maestro of the greatest singers in the Arab world, such as Angham, Muhammad Abdo, Rabah Saqr and others.
He explained, to Asharq Al-Awsat: “Asala had to be aware of what she was saying, respect the leader of her band, give him his status, and present him to the public in a decent manner, but Asala has a problem with her spontaneity, similar to the artist Sherine Abdel Wahab, which caused her many problems. over the past years.”
It is noteworthy that Asala Nasri’s concert at the 28th Arab Music Festival was held on the twelfth of November 2019 on the Grand Stage of the Egyptian Opera House, and she went up to her concert to the tunes of her famous song “Small Box” amid loud applause from the audience. After completing the song, she thanked the attendees, stressing that she “always feels fear at the beginning of any party.”
Asala told the audience during the ceremony: “Since I entered the world of singing, I have met the best artistic personalities, and in my elective country, Egypt, I have found personalities who have taken care of me.” I mentioned Maestro Khaled Fouad in their forefront.
Asala described herself as a “weak woman”, after one of those present told her, “Oh, Asala, you are strong!” I always consider myself a weak woman, I am not that strong.
Asala concluded her speech with the audience, addressing a speech to the Egyptians, in which she said: “Egypt is the optional homeland, the homeland of Ali and Adam (her children), all the details of my life and the transfers of my social and artistic life were in it.”