Mosul orchestra performs in restored Al Rabea Theatre

Mosul orchestra performs in restored Al Rabea Theatre
Orchestra conductor Mohammed Mahmoud leads the Watar orchestral ensemble, playing for the first time at the restored Al Rabea Theatre in Iraq's northern city of Mosul on April 8, 2021. AFP

The Watar Youth Orchestra from Nineveh performed at Mosul’s Al Rabea Theatre on Thursday to celebrate the restoration of the venue destroyed during the city’s occupation by ISIS.

The performance, which was streamed live on Facebook, was accompanied by old videos of the city and its residents, celebrating its history and commemorating those who lost their lives during the extremist group’s brutal rule from 2014 to 2017.

The orchestra was put together by a local radio station and comprises beginners and musicians who have been playing for years.

One of the most notable moments of the concert was when the youngest member of the orchestra performed Lux Aeterna and the theme to the popular film, Requiem for A Dream, composed by Clint Mansell, on the piano to a rapt audience.

READ MORE