Fahed Ballan, the Syrian Icon in France

–  You are Syrians?

– Yes!

–  We know Ghawar (Doreed Laham) and Fahed Balaan from Syria.

A conversation that I have well preserved in my mind as a teenager, back in the nineties when I was living in France with my family. My father who was a devoted adherent of the Syrian culture, and deeply believed that only through culture we could traverse to the other side; has frequently organized gatherings of the Syrian community in France, in order to get in touch with other Syrians and  recall memories of homeland, especially through nostalgic Arabic music and folkloric sings, like those of Fahed Ballan. Yet, in those reunions, you will most probably find Arabs from all the Arab countries, who were so familiar with two prominent names in the Syrian cultural scene: Doreed Laham and Fahed Ballan.

Fahed Balan the renowned Syrian singer outside Syria has finally been honored inside his country and in his hometown Sweida, where the world of art converged with the world of music and singing, to create a memorial statuette of the late artist Fahd Ballan, which was exposed in Qanawat town in appreciation of his artistic and humanitarian career in the presence of a number of interested in artistic and cultural activities.

According to the sculptor Fouad Naeem, it took him a year to complete the carving that was influenced by the realist school, after in-depth study of Ballan’s life and personality with an emphasis on showing him in his youth and stage of strength.The statuette, designed and carved by sculptor Fouad Naeem, is made of marble and is about 220 cm high and weighs about 700 kg.Naeem stressed the importance of honoring this outstanding creative singer, noting the need for cultural and concerned institutions to adopt sculptural works of celebrities who left a clear imprint in the Syrian cultural scene.

The figurine has been in the possession of Fahd Ballan Institute for Arabic Music, under the direction of Adham Azkoul; who declared,”It is a pride for us to hold tenure of the late artist Fahd Ballan statuette.”Azkoulindicated Ballan great influence on his life as a musician, as he had wide-ranging recordings of all his songs and oriental melodies, which emphasized his artistic taste.

Ballan was a representation of generosity of spirit and one of the knights of the Arabic classical song,since he paved the way to initialize new vocal techniques through his exceptionally strong masculine voice, as referred by the legendary OumKalthoum.

Ballan was a popular Syrian singer and actor, who started his singing careers in the early sixties influenced by decades of oriental musical grandeur. His voice and handsome features made him a symbol of masculinity that gained the hearts of women through the golden screen and his adventurous cinema roles in Egypt. As he traveled to Egypt and worked with Farid al-Atrash, and married the attractive actress Mariam FakhrEddine and had an acting career there.

Only one of his tracks (Ma Aqdarshi Ala Kidah ) is performed in the Egyptian dialect. Whereas, most of his songs are performed in the Hourani dialect typical of Southern Syria and Northern Jordan;  including his songs “Larchab Haddak Yal Motor” and “Irkibna 3al Houssan” that established for a newly style of Arabic songs, which was later known as Aljabalia Song (Mountain song ).

The singerIhabBallan, son ofFahdBallan, praised the joint efforts made by both artists: Fouad Naim to crave a memorial statue dedicated to his father, and musicianAzkoul to purchase it. Yet Ballan’s son indicated that the memorandum comes 23 years after the departure of his father, who is still present in the hearts and minds of his fans.

To conclude, I would like to say that I have been personally influenced by this iconic singer, who entered my heart through his majestic tenor like voice; yet so tenderly and humbly expressed, not forgetting his great sense of humor. Rest in peace Fahed Ballan.

Report: Lama Alhassanieh