The Lebanese icon Fairuz and her son Ziad Rahbani, alongside Armenian conductor Karen Durgarian, before a concert in Dubai on Jan. 23, 2003. (Credit: Jorge Ferrari/AFP)
It's probably the question on many people's minds in Lebanon. Will they see, beside Ziad Rahbani's coffin, in the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Bikfaya-Mheidetheh, the flash of his mother Fairuz's signature red hair?
In a conflict-ridden family, an often strained mother-son relationship and as the legendary Arab diva — now over 90 — battles frail health and hasn't appeared publicly for years, the Lebanese have every reason to wonder.
"Fairuz is very tired, and her doctors never leave her bedside," a source close to the family said. However, they can't imagine that she wouldn't be present "at least at the Mass," scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Greek Orthodox church in the Metn village.
The source predicts, although they have no definitive answer, a "brief appearance" before she returns home. Two other family members contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour did not respond to our calls to confirm or deny this statement.
A gathering in Antelias
Journalist Doha Chams, close to the deceased, announced a "gathering" in Antelias on X for the procession escorting Ziad Rahbani's body from the Beirut hospital, where he passed, to Bikfaya, which could imply a stop at Fairuz's family home.
The performer of "Kifak Enta," which her son wrote for her in the late 1980s, gave her last concert in 2012 at Platea. It was a farewell to the stage but also to public life.
However, Fairuz surprised everyone in 2017 by releasing an album produced by her daughter, Rima, with whom Ziad had a rocky relationship. She also shot a music video, "La min" ("For Whom?"), in which she appeared recording a song.
She otherwise lives with her two remaining children: her daughter, who has in recent years shared few images and photos of her mother on social media, and her son Hali, who is severely disabled and whom she continues to care for.
Although not a public appearance, she was in the media spotlight during her meeting in September 2020, a few weeks after the double explosion at the Port of Beirut, with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Photos of their time together at the singer’s house in Antelias appeared on every screen, showing the octogenarian in all her glory, in her vintage living room, her face covered by a clear plastic visor that looked almost out of place.
Ziad Rahbani's funeral will be preceded and followed — until the next day — by public condolences, as is the Lebanese custom. The proceedings are expected to be closely observed as a tribute to the playwright and sharp-witted comedian, who is a cornerstone of Lebanese cultural and artistic life, and due to ongoing tensions within the Rahbani family.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
Israel, Lebanon agree to implement cease-fire, boosting hopes for Iran deal
