Ziad Rahbani

Background

Ziad Rahbani was the son of the Lebanese composer Assi Rahbani and Lebanese singer Fairuz.

Rahbani was married to Dalal Karam, with whom he had a boy named "Assi" but he was later found out not to be his biological son. Their relationship later ended in divorce, prompting Karam to write a series of articles for the gossip magazine Ashabaka about their marriage. Rahbani composed a number of songs about their relationship, including "Marba el Dalal" and "Bisaraha".

Rahbani had a long-standing relationship with Lebanese leftist movements, and was a self-declared communist, being a lifelong affiliate with the Lebanese Communist Party. Furthermore, in an interview with the journalist Ghassan Bin-Jiddu, Rahbani stated that the bloodbath massacres in the Palestinian camp Tall a-Za’tar by extreme-rightist Christian militias in 1976 was the main reason that drove him to leave to West Beirut. Notwithstanding, he also expressed his support to the Lebanese resistance and its project in the face of "the Israeli occupation and its Zionist Apartheid regime". Coming from a Christian family, his politics and viewpoints were very radical when compared to his right-wing teenage surroundings. Rahbani was popularly understood to be atheist.

Family tree

Career

Rahbani's first known artistic work was "Sadiqi Allah" (My Friend God), a collection of writings between the years 1967 and 1968 when he was in his teens. In 1973, at age 17, Rahbani composed his first music for Fairuz, his mother. Assi Rahbani, his father, was hospitalized and his mother Fairuz was to play the leading role in Al Mahatta by the Rahbani brothers. Mansour Rahbani, his uncle, who had written the lyrics of a song about Assi Rahbani's forced absence, gave Ziad Rahbani the task of composing its music. The song "Saalouni El Nass" (People Asked Me) gained Rahbani recognition in the music world.

Rahbani appeared for the first time on stage in Al Mahatta where he played the role of the detective. He also appeared later on in the Rahbani Brothers' Mays el Rim in the role of one of the policemen. Rahbani's first step into theatre was with the Bkennaya Theater in Sahriyyeh. He followed that with highly politicized string of plays. "In 'The Harvest of Thorns: Political Comedy Theater in Syria and Lebanon,' Aksam Al-Youssef wrote, "Under these circumstances, as a young adult, Ziad imposed himself on the artistic scene as a playwright, director, composer, pianist, and actor. In a short time, his original theatre would become the center of attention for young people who found in it the voice of a lost generation caught in the throws of war and violence.

As an actor, besides appearing in his own plays, Rahbani starred in Randa Chahal Sabbagh's 2003 film The Kite.

Collaborations

Before, during, and after the Lebanese Civil War, Rahbani released and co-released several albums, television programs, radio programs and a children's book consisting of: Bi hal shakel, Abou Ali, Halleluja, Shareet Ghayr Houdoudi, Baadna Taybeen Ullo Allah, Houdou Nesbi, Ana Mouch Kafer, Hakaya al Atfal, Bema Enno, Monodose (with singer Salma Mosfi). and Maaloumat Mush Akidi (with singer Latifa).

Death

Rahbani died at a hospital at approximately 9:00 am (UTC 6:00 am) on 26 July 2025, at the age of 69, reportedly of a heart attack. He had been a chain smoker for most of his life. Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé said Rahbani needed a liver transplant but refused to undergo surgery.

On 6 August 2025, the Lebanese Cabinet approved renaming Hafez al-Assad Avenue – which links Beirut to the Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport – to Ziad Rahbani Avenue.

Discography

Studio releases

Albums for Fairuz

Stage and radio

Honours

• [[File:LBN National Order of the Cedar - Commander BAR.svg|Ribbon bar of the National Order of the Cedar, Commander grade|50x50px]] Commander of the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon, July 28, 2025; posthumously).

References

References

1. (April 14, 1988). "Rahbani's 'Oriental Jazz' Is Rooted in Lebanon's Struggle but Scorned by Traditional Arabs".
2. (2025-07-06). "Ziad Rahbani, renowned Lebanese composer, playwright, and son of iconic singer Fayrouz, passed away at the age of 69".
3. (2025-07-06). "Ziad Rahbani, Lebanese musical giant and sardonic critic, dead at 69".
4. (2025-07-26). "Tributes pour in as Lebanese musician Ziad Rahbani dies at 69".
5. "Ziad biography". Nogomi Stars.
6. "Fairouz our ambassador to the Stars". Al Mashriq.
7. "Marba el Dalal". Amazon.
8. "Bisaraha". Amazon.
9. Haugbolle, Sune. (2016). "The Leftist, the Liberal, and the Space in Between: Ziad Rahbani and Everyday Ideology". The Arab Studies Journal.
10. "Ziad Rahbani: The Artist Whose Biography Tells Lebanon's History".
11. (4 March 2007). "Ziad Rahbani – communisme – athéisme".
12. As'ad, AbuKhalil. (2012-10-08). "The Cult of Ziad Rahbani". al-akhbar.
13. (25 March 2019). "Ziad Al Rahbani ‎زياد الرحباني".
14. Alyousef, Aksam. (Fall 2020). ""Harvesting Thorns": Comedy as Political Theatre in Syria and Lebanon".
15. "Sa'alouni El Nas". Amazon.
16. (2 April 2012). "Mays el Rim". YouTube.
17. "Sahriye". iTunes.
18. Alyousef, Aksam. (Fall 2020). ""Harvesting Thorns": Comedy as Political Theatre in Syria and Lebanon".
19. "Ziad Rahbani on iTunes". iTunes.
20. "Ziad Rahbani, pioneering Lebanese musician and composer, dies at 69".
21. "Revealing the Illness That Ended Ziad Rahbani's Life".
22. "Beirut Avenue Renamed in Honor of Ziad Rahbani".