Collage created by Jaimee Lee Haddad.
Fairuz would not sing. It didn’t matter that the guest of honor was none other than Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba. Nor did it matter that he had expressed a wish to hear her divine voice, unmistakable and unmatched. The recital that was meant to be dedicated to him was canceled. In protest against the singer’s behavior, Lebanese authorities banned her songs and performances from airing on Radio Lebanon. It was March 1965, spring had yet to arrive, and Fairuz had come perilously close to sparking a diplomatic incident.At the time, there was much media speculation as to what had happened.An article in L’Orient on March 18, 1965, cited objections from Jezzine MP Jean Aziz, who opposed the ban on Fairuz’s songs on the radio. The singer had fallen victim to a “misunderstanding.” According to L’Orient’s article, “The prime minister...
Fairuz would not sing. It didn’t matter that the guest of honor was none other than Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba. Nor did it matter that he had expressed a wish to hear her divine voice, unmistakable and unmatched. The recital that was meant to be dedicated to him was canceled. In protest against the singer’s behavior, Lebanese authorities banned her songs and performances from airing on Radio Lebanon. It was March 1965, spring had yet to arrive, and Fairuz had come perilously close to sparking a diplomatic incident.At the time, there was much media speculation as to what had happened.An article in L’Orient on March 18, 1965, cited objections from Jezzine MP Jean Aziz, who opposed the ban on Fairuz’s songs on the radio. The singer had fallen victim to a “misunderstanding.” According to L’Orient’s article, “The...