Umm Kulthum was born at the end of the nineteenth century in Tamay al-Zahayira, a village in the Nile Delta.
Diva's: Umm Kulthum, Fairuz, Warda and Asmahan
The exhibition Divas at the Wereldmuseum Amsterdam (2023) showcased the lives and careers of the greatest female artists from the Arab music and film world of the last century. These were women whose work had a global artistic and social impact. One of the famous divas featured in the exhibition was Umm Kulthum. In this global story, you will learn about Umm Kulthum, Fairuz, Warda, and Asmahan.
Dressed as a boy, she sings in her father's ensemble and enchants the audience with her voice. In 1923, she breaks away from her family in Cairo. Surrounded by great musicians and intellectuals, she changes her repertoire and her appearance: a diva is born.
