August 4: Music Sounds the Eternal Knell
Alain E. Andrea 04/08 18:01 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
On August 4, 2020, Beirut was suddenly plunged into an apocalyptic night. A day that now marks history. Four years later, This is Beirut commemorates this tragedy through three funeral marches. It was a summer evening. Beirut buzzed under an amber sky, its alleys caressed by the last rays of day. Nothing suggested that this serenity would ...
When Music Screams War to Dream of Peace (2/2)
Alain E. Andrea 29/07 14:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
In his triptych of war symphonies, Shostakovich vividly captures the turmoil of World War II. His symphonic music, alternating between heroic and satirical, is an intense meditation on the horrors of war, with moments of chaotic violence and poignant lamentation. War rages still, in the four corners of the world. A de facto truth, some would ...
When Music Screams War to Dream of Peace (1/2)
Alain E. Andrea 27/07 10:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Composers of Western art music have depicted the tragedy of war through various musical works while yearning for long-awaited peace. The first article of this series will cover three of Beethoven’s works, as we commemorate the bicentennial of the 9th Symphony. War rages still, in the four corners of the world. A de facto truth, some would say, ...
Gene Therapy Takes on Deafness…and Wins Out
Alain E. Andrea 23/07 12:11 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
A recent clinical study has shown that gene therapy can restore hearing function, allowing five children with congenital bilateral deafness caused by genetic mutations to regain their ability to hear. DNA, RNA, molecular biology, genetic manipulation, and more recently gene therapy: so many words are coming to the forefront, and drawing a lot of ...
Elia Koussa: An Innovator Committed to Tradition
Alain E. Andrea 18/07 19:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Elia Koussa navigates the challenges of musical decadence, striving to maintain some artistic integrity. With his ensemble, Le Rossignol, he aspires to elevate music to new heights at their concert on July 19 at Zico House. Music is in sharp decline. This fact cannot be emphasized enough. The shift in musical taste, both among the public and the ...
Michaël Cousteau: Art Could Save Lebanon
Alain E. Andrea 18/07 14:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
By sharing his expertise with six aspiring Lebanese conductors, Michaël Cousteau has inspired new hope through art and culture, the ultimate bulwark against rampant obscurantism. With pervasive energy, a broad but restrained gesture, and a natural direction, Michaël Cousteau leaves the listener breathless. Serving the score with common ...
Smoking and Life Expectancy: Do the Math!
Alain E. Andrea 14/07 11:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
A recent study indicates that smoking significantly reduces life expectancy. However, it emphasizes that quitting this habit at any age can greatly improve life expectancy. “Smoking kills.” Despite this clear warning on cigarette packs, many people continue to smoke. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) report on the global ...
Syrian Migrant Camps: Insalubrious Conditions and Resurging Epidemics
Alain E. Andrea 27/05 21:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
The precarious sanitary conditions in which Syrian migrants live in Lebanon have contributed over the past decade to the re-emergence and exacerbation of certain epidemics. With no effective solutions in sight, Lebanon is nearing a breaking point. The recent outbreak of several infectious diseases in Syrian migrant camps in Lebanon, including ...
High Blood Pressure: The Genome’s Hidden Potential
Alain E. Andrea 17/05 17:08 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The discovery of new genomic regions related to blood pressure offers crucial insights for understanding and treating hypertension. May 17 is International Hypertension Day and on this occasion, This is Beirut provides an update on the latest developments. Arterial hypertension (AHT) is a major worldwide public health issue. Without early ...
AstraZeneca Vaccine Withdrawal: Lingering Questions…
Alain E. Andrea 14/05 22:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
AstraZeneca has announced the withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to “decreasing demand.” However, given the events that have taken place since 2021, one can tend to believe that this move could be dictated by other factors. One year after the global health emergency linked to the Covid-19 pandemic was lifted, controversies ...
Beethoven: Two Centuries of Harmony, a Prelude to Eternity
Alain E. Andrea 09/05 10:30 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
The classical music scene commemorates, on this May 7th, the bicentennial of two immortal works by Ludwig van Beethoven: the Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony. In a world torn by bloody conflicts, this celebration offers an opportunity to reflect more deeply on the ideal of universal brotherhood instilled by the genius from Bonn. In 2020, the ...
Covid-19 and Olfaction: A Troubling Scent
Alain E. Andrea 02/05 10:57 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The long-term effects of Covid-19 continue to pique researchers’ interests. A recent study delves into the enduring loss of smell and taste, one year after exposure to SARS-CoV-2. The Covid-19 pandemic is far from over, and it seems this reality won't change anytime soon. Scientific studies are continuously yielding new insights into the virus' ...
Hepatic Transplantation: A Therapeutic Victory
Alain E. Andrea 19/04 13:00 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
Transplantation offers a crucial hope for patients facing end-stage liver failure. Despite its challenges, it remains the last lifeline to prolong life and restore health. Let's delve into it with Professor Francis Navarro. Organ transplantation stands as one of the major breakthroughs in modern medicine, offering a glimmer of hope for many ...
Maurizio Pollini, Pianist of the Ineffable
Alain E. Andrea 26/03 19:31 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
Like a star that slowly dies out in silence, Maurizio Pollini went on to join his peers in supreme Harmony. Dominique Merlet, Gilles Cantagrel and Bernard Fournier pay tribute to an exceptional artist. And the candle goes out. The silence thickens, densifies and becomes heavy with grief, sorrow and pain. Solemnly engulfing this eternal moment, ...
Lozakovich and Kantorow at Bustan: The Finesse of Two Masters
Alain E. Andrea 13/03 18:56 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Could the Al-Bustan Festival be reviving the golden age of great maestros in Baalbeck? Kantorow and Lozakovich, two young but eminent virtuosos, treated the Lebanese audience to an intense evening with interpretations worthy of the great masters, ranging from Schumann to Franck, evoking the spirit of legends such as Richter and Oistrakh. Are ...
COVID-19 Vaccines and Adverse Effects: Sorting True From False
Alain E. Andrea 09/03 18:51 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
An observational study involving over 99 million vaccinated persons reveals that most adverse effects conform with theoretical risks. It also highlights certain increased risks depending on the type of vaccine. Since March 2020, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, over 13.5 billion vaccine doses ...
Boris Berezovsky: Democracy Is a Myth
Alain E. Andrea 08/03 14:31 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Boris Berezovsky needs no introduction. His name epitomizes virtuosity and dexterity. Regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the world of piano, his fame transcends border—and for good reasons. Despite his undisputed musical skills, his recent political stances have sparked fierce controversy, and he became persona non grata in Europe. ...
Frédéric Chopin, A Poet's Soul (2/2)
Alain E. Andrea 03/03 10:30 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
Among the luminaries of 19th-century European music, Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) stands out as the undisputed "poet of the piano." He deliberately focused on the piano, the king of instruments, to delve into and elevate the nuanced emotions of Romantic music—ranging from passion and melancholy to rebellion, despair and exuberance. His ...
Frédéric Chopin: A Poet's Soul (1/2)
Alain E. Andrea 01/03 20:16 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Among the luminaries of 19th-century European music, Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) stands out as the undisputed 'poet of the piano.' He deliberately focused on the piano, the king of instruments, to delve into and elevate the nuanced emotions of Romantic music — ranging from passion and melancholy to rebellion, despair, and exuberance. His ...
Opposites Meet at Beit Tabaris
Alain E. Andrea 23/02 20:22 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
One concert lost, ten found. Despite inclement weather, the recital on February 18th at Beit Tabaris delighted the audience with compositions exploring Orientalist exoticism and culminating in a beautiful interpretation of the “Quatuor des muses," before concluding masterfully with a lesser-known work by Puccini. On Sunday, February 18th, ...
Stifle Music Too, Why Don’t You!
Alain E. Andrea 20/02 18:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
In this critical period where art in Lebanon, and particularly music, is sinking into a worrying decline, a methodical campaign of marginalization and discrimination has been persisting against seasoned artists for some time now. Recently, the sudden cancellation, without a convincing explanation, of concerts organized on a pro bono basis for ...
Seiji Ozawa, Requiem for Life
Alain E. Andrea 13/02 16:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Seiji Ozawa, who conducted his symphony of life with unwavering passion until his last breath, gifts the world a musical legacy ripe with boldness, genius and profound artistic commitment. With Eric Tanguy, we go behind the scenes of one specific work, embellished by the tour-de-force interpretation of Mstislav Rostropovich, and masterfully ...
Mozart, the Hidden Depth of the 'Musical Christ'
Alain E. Andrea 31/01 19:29 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
Mozart is undeniably a musical genius whose depth is often masked behind an appearance of lightness. French musicologist Bernard Fournier emphasizes the true greatness of the Austrian master, explores the emotional richness of his work and reveals a composer of many facets. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), or simply Mozart: one can never say ...
Mozart Was Not Buried in a Mass Grave!
Alain E. Andrea 27/01 18:08 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
The ongoing controversy surrounding the burial of Mozart, fueled by the film Amadeus, is debunked by reliable historical sources, refuting the idea of a mass grave. On the occasion of the commemoration of Mozart’s birthday, This is Beirut highlights the circumstances surrounding his death and funeral. The persistent myth that Wolfgang Amadeus ...
Al-Bustan Festival: Three Decades of Musical Pollination
Alain E. Andrea 19/01 16:37 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
From February 21 to March 17, the Al-Bustan Festival celebrates three decades of existence in an evolving Lebanon. Despite socio-political challenges, the festival persists in illuminating the Lebanese music scene, offering an eclectic program in a country in search of harmony and sensitivity. From 1994 to 2024, three decades passed, marked by a ...
The Eternal Curse of Artists
Alain E. Andrea 17/01 18:16 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The dichotomy between artistic celebration and social support for artists raises crucial questions about the place and protection of these creators who enrich our universal artistic heritage. This article sheds light on a narrative where the vulnerability of three Western composers collides with the intransigence of a capricious table in the land ...
At Beit Tabaris, an Oud Escapes the Beaten Path
Alain E. Andrea 11/01 18:22 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The enthusiasm of the audience on January 9 spoke volumes about the success of the second concert of the year at Beit Tabaris. Despite the various uncertainties that Lebanon is going through, the packed hall was the scene of an interesting spectacle. The melodies of the oud, the pulsations of the double bass and the effervescence of the percussion ...
Cancer in Lebanon: A Stain on the State’s Reputation
Alain E. Andrea 04/01 15:13 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The already alarming situation of oncological patients in Lebanon has reached critical levels due to the lack of efficient and affordable treatment, putting the lives of over 30,000 Lebanese patients at risk. Given the increasing plight of cancer patients in Lebanon, pointing fingers at the people responsible has become an imperative. The fatal ...
The Magic of Harmonies: Christmas in Music (2/2)
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-25 10:44 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
As Christmas approaches, musical scores come to life, filling the air with their festive spirit. In the second article of this series, This Is Beirut invites you to (re)discover three popular Christmas tunes that have soothed generations, perpetuating the magic of Christmas to this day. As soon as the wind sweeps away the last russet leaves, ...
The Magic of Harmonies: Christmas in Music (1/2)
Alain E. Andrea 2023-12-24 10:30 - Reading : 7 minute(s)
As Christmas gets closer, musical scores come to life, filling the air with their festive spirit. For this occasion, This is Beirut invites you, in the first article of this series, to (re)discover three masterpieces of Western art music that celebrate the Nativity, illuminating the season with their timeless brilliance. As soon as the wind ...