Salwa Al Katrib

Salwa Al Katrib (also spelled Salwa Al Qatrib, Arabic: سلوى القطريب‎; September 17, 1953 – March 4, 2009) was a Lebanese singer best known for her roles in Emerald Princess and Mountain Girl (Bent Al Jabal). She was the wife of Nahi Lahoud and the mother of aspiring Lebanese actress and singer Aline Lahoud. She enjoyed most of her fame in the theatrical circle in Lebanon and the Arab World between 1974 and 2005.^[1] She died of cerebral hemorrhage in 2009.^[2][3]

Biography

Salwa Al Katrib was born on 17 September 1953 in (Tripoli), Lebanon, to a family of musicians. The thought of being involved in theater work was far from reality until she was discovered by Lebanese director Romeo Lahoud.

She played in "Singof Singof" with Georgina Rizk and Tony Hanna in 1975. She won many awards throughout her career. Subsequently, in 1975 Said Akl awarded Katrib for her acting and singing abilities. She played in 12 musicals under the direction of Romeo Lahoud: "Bint el Jabal" with Antoine Kerbage in 1977, then with Melhem Barakat in "Amira Zmorrod". In 1979, she sang with Elie Choueri in "Oxygene". In 1980, she played "Yasmine" with Abdo Yaghi. In 1982, she was "Superstar" with Alec Khalaf. In 1983, she played in "Hikayat Amal" with Ghassan Saliba and Elias Elias.

The artistic director of the French singer Serge Lama proposed to Salwa Katrib to become an international star in France and the US, but she refused because she didn't want to leave Lebanon. In 1985, she was the star on "Al Hilm el Talett", and she performed at the festival of Bosra in Syria, and at the festival of Timgad in Algeria. She sang more than 150 songs composed by Romeo Lahoud, Zaki Nassif, Toufic Bacha, Elie Choueri, Elias Rahbani and Melhem Barakat.

Awards

She won many awards, including, a "Special Award of Appreciation" from the mayor of Los Angelesin 1989; the "Jarash Event First Prize" and the Jordanian government's promotion and prestige in 1987%, the first prize of the Gold Eagle in Abu Dhabi for her song "Zikrayate" in 1986. She also won the Murex d'Or in 2005 and in 2009.

King Hussein of Jordan, presidents Camille Chamoun, Amine Gemayel, Michel Aoun and Elias Hrawi were her most famous supporters. Mohamad Abelwahab the great Egyptian composer asked her to sing his famous "Anta Omri". Her last appearance on TV was with Neshan Der Haroutounian in "Maestro" (2005). In 2006, she decided to stop singing because she was astonished by the degradation of the artistic situation in Lebanon.

Death and legacy

She died on 4 March 2009, aged 55. She is one of the famous singers in Lebanon and Arab countries. President Michel Suleiman honored her by giving her the golden medal of the Lebanese republic. She was married to Nahi Lahoud her producer and artistic director. Her daughter Aline Lahoud is also a singer. Her husband Nahi Lahoud has announced that he is preparing a film relating her artistic life.^[4]

Work

Awards and distinctions

• Prix Said Akl (1976)
• Key of Alger (1984)
• Jerash Art Appreciation (1987)
• Award of Appreciation LA (1989)
• Scoop d'Or (1987)
• Gold Medal Independence (1991)
• Gold Eagle of Arab Song (1996)
• Gold Medal of the Army (2001)
• Murex d'Or (2005)
• Medaille d'or du merite libanais (2009)
• Murex d'or (2009)
• Award of Appreciation from Amchit Municipality (2009)
• Award of Appreciation from Balamand University (2010)
• Award of Appreciation from Arts & Music Institute (2011)
• Award of Appreciation from Saint-Coeurs College (2011)

References