Lebanon's Summer Festivals

Italy's Muti to launch Lebanon summer festivals


BEIT MERI, Lebanon (AFP) - Italian conductor Riccardo Muti is to launch a season of summer festivals in Lebanon that were scrapped last year because of the Israel-Hezbollah war, organisers announced on Thursday.



Muti is to conduct his orchestra at the Roman temples of the eastern city of Baalbek before playing the piano at a concert during the Beiteddine Festival near Beirut, they told AFP.

The dates and details of the festivals are to be announced in coming weeks.

Tourism Minister Joseph Sarkis said that all four of Lebanon's major annual art festivals would take place this summer despite the country's domestic political crisis.

Sarkis was speaking at a press conference in the resort town of Beit Meri, east of Beirut, together with representatives of the main four annual international festivals: Baalbek, Beiteddine, Byblos and Tyre.

"We invite foreigners and Arabs to come in large numbers to spend the summer in Lebanon and attend the varied programmes of the internationally reknowned festivals," said Sarkis.

"We want to change the image of Lebanon with an international media campaign in order to attract tourists again," he said.

Last year, all four festivals were cancelled after Israel launched on July 12 a massive military offensive following the capture of two of its soldiers by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The Israeli onslaught destroyed much of Lebanon's infrastructure and sent foreigners fleeing from the country which had been expecting a record year in tourism revenues.

Nora Jumblatt, president of the festival held in the 19th century Beiteddine Palace, told AFP: "Some of the (foreign) artists and bands are a bit afraid, but all in all, it will be fine."

May Arida, president of the Baalbek International Festival, said she did not expect "any difficulties in Baalbek," a stronghold of Hezbollah.

"Local authorities (traditionally close to Hezbollah) have written letters to the ministries of tourism and interior to express their backing for the festival," she said.

Last year, Lebanon had been due to host concerts by Lebanese diva Fairuz, English rock band Deep Purple, jazz legend Barbara Hendricks and Liza Minnelli.