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Blessed by an innate
talent; in addition to being raised in an artistic family, have supported Ali El-Haggar
a lot to reach his current premium position in the singing field. During his early
childhood, his father; late singer and composer Mr. Ibrahim El-Haggar taught him
principles of Arabic music. In this age he was exposed to different types of Arabic
songs; such as works of Om Kolthom, Mohmmed Abdel-Wahab, Zakaria Ahmed, Sayed Darwish,
and many others. The main goal of the father at this stage was to make his son get
an in-depth understanding to the different musical forms, so he can easily differentiate
between the various kinds of music. However, Mr. Ibrahim didn’t want his son to
get fully absorbed by a specific singing type in order to keep his own identity.
Ali El-Haggar learnt his father ‘s lesson by saying; “My father exposed me to music
in its different manners and schools, but as well he advised me to sing only like
myself without imitating any other singer no matter what is the degree of his talent
and regardless of how much do I like this singer”. At a young age Ali El-Haggar
learnt the Holly Quran reciting; too; that was considered a value addition that
helped him in clear articulation and organizing inhalation; two highly important
factors for the success of any singer.
In addition to music
and singing, El-Haggar family is also gifted with another sort of talent; drawing.
This inborn talent enabled Ali El-Haggar to join faculty of Fine Arts. Studying
various natures of Fine Arts helped him to broaden his scope of artistic knowledge.
Many times Ali El-Haggar was asked a question about the relation between Music an
Fine Arts and how far studying Fine Arts affected him as a singer; he answers: “While
I’m singing I do imagine the music pieces as if they are geometrical shapes and
lines; I can see some types of music are like straight lines, others resemble curved
lines, and sometimes some music pieces reminds me of broken lines. Also, I can observe
some songs of mine as complete portraits”.
During the years, Ali
EL-Haggar never forgot his main artistic concern; singing. In 1977 his talent was
professionally discovered by the late composer Baligh Hamdy; who introduced him
publicly in the New Year Eve with his first piece of work “Ala Ad Ma Habbena” having
lyrics by the late poet Abdel-Rehim Mansoor; after listening to him singing in a
musical program in the Egyptian television.
Coming next
is an important stage in Ali El-Haggar career path, and that was in
1976 when he got together with the late multi-talented artist
Salah Jaheen. At that time Jaheen had already written his famous quartets (Robayat)
a time ago, and he was searching for a highly endowed singer capable of singing
those quartets. Having high confidence in El-Haggar talent and singing abilities,
Jaheen decided to offer him the opportunity to sing the complete quartets which
were composed by the late musician Sayed Mikkawy. Till now these vocal quartets
are greatly tempting to many audiences.
Ali EL-Haggar succeeded
in transforming the nature of the television serials prologues and epilogues (titres).
Before that, serials prologues and epilogues were just pieces of still music; since
then they started to contain an introductory song and another final song that reveal
some features of the serial tale. Along with the composer Ammar El-Sherei and the
poet Sayed Higab; El-Haggar performed the complete set of songs for the television
serial “El-Ayam” personifying the biography of the late prominent novelist Taha
Hussein. Since then, having songs in the serials intros and finals became something
common. Owning a well-built dramatic voice; as many music critics always validate,
El-Haggar participated and still participating widely in this songs type and now
he becomes the number one singer in the dramatic songs category; whether in television
serials, movies, or plays.
Another
important phase in El-Haggar professional life was his first dealing with his brother
the composer and singer Ahmed El-Haggar.
This was in the year 1978 when Ahmed El-Haggar composed his brother’s greatest
hit “Ozoriny”. As a result of the huge success that this song achieved, the name
of Ali El-Haggar started to spark in the singing career since then. Consequently,
El-Haggar brothers have co-operated in many other songs, Ahmed El-Haggar as composer
and Ali El-Haggar as singer. Among these songs are; Bahebek, Ana Biki Ya Samra Akon,
El-Ahlam, Kont Faker, Tesaaliny, Lama El-Sheta Edo’o El-Biban, Ma Tekdebish, Ergaaily,
Lessa El-Kalam, and recently Ya Masria.
El-Haggar always has
a faith that the artist should not separate himself from the social and political
events that take place in his surrounding society. In his vision the artist must
have a specific attitude towards these events, and react towards them; but yet through
art. In the year 1990, Ali El-Haggar was preparing himself to release an album contains
romantic songs; during this, the well-known Iraqi invasion to
Kuwait
took place. El-Haggar then refused to proceed with his romantic album, and he postponed
it for a later time. Instead, he released another album “Lem El-Shaml” that was
all about political songs that fitted the political scene at that time.
Also, in his songs bank, El-Haggar has a bundle of political songs that reflect
his political concerns; for example, his brilliant piece of work “Hona El-Kahira”,
“Ya Masry”, and “El-Moot Ala El-Asfalt”; a collection of poems wrote by the prominent
poet Abdel-Rahman El-Abnoody describing the violence taken place in Palestine, Recently,
El-Haggar gave out his song “Lobnan” as a reaction to the attacks that took place
in Lebanon last year.
An additional successful
point in Ali El-Haggar’s career that deserves a shade of light is his duet with
Placido Domingo. El-Haggar realized a great achievement when he was selected by
the Spanish opera singer “Placido Domingo”; titled “KING OF OPERA” to carry out
a duet song together. This was in the year 2000 when Domingo got an idea to perform
a duet song with an Arab singer; Domingo was introduced to many songs for a number
of Arab singers, and he chose Ali El-Haggar as he possess the most powerful and
sensational voice among his peers. Domingo was highly surprised by El-Haggar’s singing
abilities and consequently he gave him the name
“THE GOLDEN VOICE”. As a result, the concert both Ali El-Haggar &
Placido Domingo had conducted in
Dubai
was a successful and well-received one.
Moving ahead from a success
to another, Ali El-Haggar was appreciated for his aggregate artistic works by receiving
a prize of honor in the 15th Arabic Music Festival for the year 2006.
Also, in the same year he received two prizes from two different European theatre
festivals in both
Germany
and
Italy
. In addition to another prize; “The Best Singer of the Year” in Sharm El-Sheikh
video clip festival for his song “El-Leil Ya Nas”
Throughout his career
life Ali El-Haggar is applying a concrete belief that motivates him to present valuable
art to his audiences; he constantly says; “My main goal is to present art than lasts
after my departure not gets forgotten while I am alive”. Actually this notion
drives him to select the most precious types of music that is appealing most to
spectators; hence he prefers to deal with talented artists; composers and lyricist;
who can help him in achieving this aim. For this, he dealt with giant names in the
music composition field; such as; Baligh Hamdy, Ammar El-Sherei, Yasser Abdel-Rahman,
Omar Khairat, Ahmed El-Haggar, Amir Abdel-Migeed, Riad El-Hamshry, Gamal Attia,
Khalil Mostafa, and many others. As for the poets, EL-Haggar always believes that
the corner stone in the success of any song is its lyrics; that explains his insistence
on dealing with the most creative lyricist; like; Abdel-Rahman El-Abnody, Sayed
Higab, Ahmed Foad Negm, Foad Haddad, Abdel-Rehim Mansoor, Gamal Bekheet, Bahaa Jaheen,
Essam Abd-Allah, Hany Shahata, Ibrahim Abdel-Fattah, and many others.
His concern is not only
dealing with gifted composers and lyricists, but as well with other talented singers
in duets whenever possible. As per his saying; “In duets I like to deal with talented
singers; as competing with clever singers motivates me to explore my capabilities
to execute the song in the best distinguished manner”. During his career
life, El-Haggar performed number of duets with a number of talented singers; such
as his career companion Mohammed El-Helw; in songs; “Beladi" and "Khan El-Anadeel”-intro
& finale of a serial carrying the same name, Hanan Mady in many television serials
songs; like, “El-Likaa EL-Tany & EL-Mal we El-Banoon”, Angham in the play "Rosasa
Fi El Qalb", and Hoda Ammar in “Bent we Walad” from the movie Eskendereyya New York.
El-Haggar admiration
to the pioneer singers generation inspired him to reperform some of their old songs;
for instances; “Gafnoho Alam El-Ghazal & Saherto” by Mohammed Abdel-Wahab, “Dary
El-Oion & Rah Tewhashiny” by Mohammed Fawzy, and “El-Hob Gamil” Laila Morad
famous song. When asked about why he likes to sing old songs already sung by old
singers, he responses: “I want the contemporary generation who do not know much about
old music to get more acquainted to it; that’s why I reperform old songs that I
personally like most, but in a modern modified way that makes these songs come closer
to the current youth generation keeping the spirit of the original piece of music.
Recently in the year 2005,
El Haggar got certified as a professional Qur’an resiter from El Azhar institution,
and by this he is considered to be the first Egyptian male singer to get this certification
nowadays.
His Albums:
.
Ala
ad ma Habaina.
. Kont fain ya Ali (for
kids).
.
Robaeyat “Salah Jaheen”.
. Mehtajlek.
. Ozoreeni.
. El Ahlam.
. Matsadaqish.
. Fi Alb El Lail.
. Ana kont Eidek
. Zay El Hawa
. Lem El Shaml.
. Tegeesh Naeesh.
. Rama Remsho.
. Lessa El Kalam.
. Risha.
. Yamama.
. Maktobali
Television Serials
(Singing):
. Al Ayaam.
. El Shahd Wa El Domooa.
.
Ala
Abwab El Madina.
. Wa Qal Al Bahr.
. Al Mashrabeyya.
. Abdullah Al Nadim.
. Haroon El Rashid.
. Omar Ebn Abdel Aziz.
. Mohammad Rasool Allah.
. Wajaa Al Baad.
. Al sira Al Helaleyya.
. Hadaek Al Shaytan.
Television serials
(Singing & Acting)
. Yaseen we Baheyya.
. Abul El Ela Elbeshry.
. Al Baqy men Al zaman sa3a.
. Al wakf.
. Resala khatera.
. Bawabat El Halawani.
. Al Awda.
. Robaeyyat Salah Jaheen.
Movies:
Al Meghnawati – Anyab – Al Fata Al Shereer.
Theatre Plays:
. Laila men alf laila.
. Zabaaen Gohannam
. Nawwar Al Khair
. Welad El Shawarea.
. Menain ageeb nas.
. Eyal Teganen.
. Atnain fi offa
. Alahomma Egaalo khair.
. Rosasa Fi Al Qalb.
. Khayef Aqool Elly Fi Qalby.
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