Watani Al Akbar (My Greater Homeland)

Single-channel video

11 mins 49 secs

This is a ventriloquist intervention in the 1960 operetta ‘Al Watan Al Akbar’ (‘The Greater Homeland’). Originally composed by Mohammad Abdel Wahab and sung by leading Arab singers of the time, Abdel Halim Hafez, Sabah, Fayza Kamel, Shadia, Warda and Nagat. It is considered to be the anthem of Pan Arabism as advocated by Gamal Abdel Nasser, then president of Egypt.

In this video, Urok Shirhan takes on the voices of the operetta’s protagonists. 

Read Urok Shirhan in conversation with Stephanie Bailey here.