A Night of Music and Heritage: Hiba Tawaji at Baalbeck Festival

Under the towering Roman columns of the temple, Baalbeck International Festival transformed the ancient city into a stage that held music, culture, and history under a sky full of stars. “Epochs”, a headlined by Lebanese star Hiba Tawaji and produced under the artistic direction of Oussama Rahbani was more than a concert, unfolded as a theatrical musical journey, merging live performance with light, image, and movement to narrate the temple’s story from its Roman origins through the Byzantine and Ottoman eras, all the way to contemporary Baalbeck.

This year’s program brought an unforgettable performance by Hiba Tawaji, whose soaring vocals and magnetic presence filled the air with a powerful blend of modern elegance and Lebanese musical heritage.

The evening began with a gathering on the terrace of the storied Palmyra Hotel, where guests, artists, and cultural figures mingled over sunset cocktails. Among the highlights was the unveiling of a special artistic collaboration, an intricately designed glass bottle for Sohat, created by Lebanese painter Daisy Abi Jaber for the festival. Known for her vibrant, emotive works inspired by Lebanon’s heritage and landscapes, Abi Jaber infused the collector’s bottle with elements that echo Baalbeck’s timeless grandeur while bringing Sohat’s brand ethos to life: purity, heritage, and national pride.

Trained at the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts and the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Abi Jaber has exhibited across Lebanon and France and contributed to the post-blast restoration of stained-glass windows in Beirut’s cultural landmarks—adding a profound layer of meaning to this collaboration.

The collaboration draws on Sohat’s deep-rooted history. Flowing from the Falougha springs, once known to the Romans, the water carries with it a legacy as enduring as Lebanon itself.

Hiba Tawaji whose soaring vocals and magnetic presence filled the air with a powerful blend of modern elegance and Lebanese musical heritage, was dressed in a white gown inspired by Roman antiquity and designed by Nicolas Jebran. She began her program with “Ana Esmi Baalbeck” as torch-bearing dancers filled the stage, then shifted seamlessly from Ave Maria to Lebanese classics.

By the time Tawaji’s final song faded into the night, the audience had witnessed not only a remarkable concert but also a moment that encapsulated the festival’s spirit: the fusion of heritage and creativity, resonating from Baalbeck’s ancient stones to today’s artistic expressions.

You can also check out Summer Staples 2025: From Beirut to La Croisette: Lebanese Designs Shine at Cannes Film Festival 2025.

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