Marcel Khalife in Oslo

Marcel Khalife is a Lebanese composer, singer and oud player, born in Amchit in 1950. He is known for setting poems by Mahmoud Darwish to music, including “Rita and the Rifle,” “Passport” and “My Mother,” and for expanding the oud’s role in contemporary Arabic composition. In 1976, Marcel Khalife founded Al Mayadine Ensemble, which became his principal concert group and toured through the Arab world, Europe and North America. He has also given solo oud recitals and presented orchestral compositions, while songs based on the poetry of Mahmoud Darwish have remained central to his concert repertoire.