Sinatra in Egypt
By Mahnuel Muñoz
The image of Frank Sinatra singing before the pyramids and the sphinx of Giza is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive not only in The Voice’s career, but in the history of popular music. It is no wonder; the musical icon par excellence of the 20th century and the most powerful and enigmatic symbols of antiquity united by their cultural relevance despite the distance of more than four millennia.
For the ancient Egyptians, the Sphinx, with a human head and a lion’s body, symbolized in a single image the strength and intelligence of the Pharaoh. The Sphinx of Giza was an unprecedented rarity in its time due to its size and design and today it is considered, along with the pyramids, the symbol of Egypt, and continues to hold undeciphered secrets among its stones.
Based on this description, it is not an extravagance to affirm that Frank Sinatra is a Sphinx of our time: a compendium of strength and intelligence, an original artist who shaped his own style, distancing himself from the prevailing trends and generating a commotion that extends to the present. , a symbol of his country, his world and his time and a being so multifaceted artistically and humanly that he will always harbor veins to discover and analyze.
In 1979, Madame Jehan Anwar el-Sadat, wife of Egyptian President Sadat, invited Sinatra to visit the country and give a benefit concert to help raise funds for the “Faith And Hope Rehabilitation Center”, a medical institution promoted by Mrs. Sadat.
Encouraged by the peace agreement signed between Egypt and Israel earlier that same year, Sinatra agreed to perform in Egypt for the first time. Until then, his work had been banned in Egypt because of the singer’s sympathies for the state of Israel.
The concert, held on September 27, was the climax of a three-day program packed with socio-cultural events attended by important figures in the fields of arts, industry and society, diplomatic corps and the Egyptian Government.
Persian rugs were spread to cover the sand, on which tables and chairs were placed to serve a dinner, and the pyramids and the Sphinx were illuminated. Such a stage hosting Frank Sinatra must have undoubtedly been a quasi-mystical experience for those attending.
Frank offers a vibrant performance, tearing through a repertoire that brings together classics from all eras, highlighting the songs he had recently recorded for the imminent album “Trilogy.”
Video of the concert is circulating among collectors and the audio is included in the “World On A String” box set that Universal released in 2016.
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