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Witness History: Lebanon's Baalbek Festival

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04/08/2016 GMT

Lebanon's Baalbek Festival

BBC World Service - Witness History, Lebanon's Baalbek Festival

The Middle East's oldest arts festival, in Baalbek in Lebanon, started 60 years ago

It is 60 years since the start of Middle East's oldest arts festival, the Baalbek International Festival, held in the great Roman ruins of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon since 1956.

The Middle East's oldest arts festival was first held n the ancient Roman ruins of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon in the summer of 1956. Some of the greatest names in music, theatre and dance performed there - Margot Fonteyn, Ella Fitzgerald, Herbert von Karajan, the Lebanese singer Fairuz. Witness talks to Mona Joreige whose aunt helped to organise the first Baalbek festival, and who was herself part of the organising committee for more than 20 years.

(Photo: Syrian singer Mayada al-Hinnawi performing at the 2015 Baalbek International Festival. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

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