The Syrian writer and artist Mamdouh Al-Atrash, cousin of the late artists Farid Al-Atrash and Asmahan, called for the launch of a museum containing their possessions, stressing that “Asmahan’s house is still standing in Syria’s Suwayda, and the establishment of the museum is a personal wish for all of the Al-Atrash family.”
Asmahan lived in this house with her husband, Prince Hassan al-Atrash, before their separation and her travel to Egypt. The house, registered in the Department of Antiquities of Suwayda (the Old City), received government attention years ago, but it has not yet turned into a museum documenting the careers of the “Princess of the Mountain” and her brother.
Asmahan in a clip from the movie “Love and Revenge” (Beautiful Time Songs page on Facebook)
Mamdouh Al-Atrash spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the occasion of the celebration of the 111th anniversary of Asmahan’s birth, which falls on November 25, 1912, that “the late artist did not leave an undeclared artistic legacy,” pointing out that he preferred to write a series about Asmahan years ago, because her life was full. With contradictions, he reflected Farid’s personality, despite his importance, revealing his intention “to formulate a work that also dramatizes Farid’s life.”
Regarding the scenes of the series that he wrote about 15 years ago, he explains: “One of my producer friends deceived me after he obtained ownership of the script, and I was surprised after signing the contract that the work was assigned to another writer in Egypt who modified and distorted the text and relied on (yellow newspapers) that covered her life and personal news. After long conflicts between me and its makers, I disavowed it.”
The Syrian writer confirmed that “the Al-Atrash family objected to the work, with the exception of a few of them. I do not know the reason for their silence. In fact, the majority of the Al-Atrash family are not satisfied with the text presented.” He also confirmed that “the deceased had a premonition of death by drowning; She actually went with the Egyptian journalist Mohamed Al-Tabei to the same place where her death occurred, next to (the canal), and she heard the sound of a mill, so she said to him: (This is my funeral, and this is the death music that was written for me), and this obsession haunted her throughout her life.
Regarding her relationship with journalist Muhammad Al-Tabei, Al-Atrash said: “Asmahan did not love anyone in her life, and she hated men. I say this with complete confidence, but Al-Tabei loved her, and he admitted this in his memoirs when he said that he loved Asmahan, and he did not feel for a moment that she felt the same way about him.”
Al-Atrash explained that “there is no communication between the Al-Atrash family and the children of Mrs. Camelia Al-Atrash: “She married a long time ago into the Jumblatt family, and moved away from (Al-Jabal) and its family, but she only communicated with some close ones.”
Syrian writer and artist Mamdouh Al-Atrash (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Al-Atrash responded to Asmahan’s grandson’s accusation that he had received a large sum of money in exchange for selling the Asmahan series, saying: “This accusation is not true. Before the series began marketing, I obtained a signature from the entire family, and I have more than 130 signatures from the Al-Atrash family, who granted me the exclusive and complete right to produce the work.”
Al-Atrash adds: “I sold the text I wrote to the artist Firas Ibrahim for a small sum, and after a long period in court, I obtained a court ruling in my favor. As for their talk about selling the name (Asmahan) for thousands of dollars, it is completely false,” he said.
Regarding the reason for the separation of “Princess of the Mountain” from her husband, Prince Hassan Al-Atrash, Mamdouh said: “Amira lived on Jabal al-Druze for 6 years, but she was not happy with her presence, and she could not bear it, and her artistic life attracted her, and she went to Egypt again, and did not return and remained there, which… It angered Prince Hassan.”
In her book “Farid Al-Atrash and Asmahan… A Tragedy of Love and War,” the Lebanese writer Awatif Al-Zein discussed the stages in the life of Asmahan, who presented the films “Love and Revenge” and “The Victory of Youth.”
Asmahan’s life was full of drama (Ancient Egyptian History page on Instagram)
Al-Zein added to Asharq Al-Awsat: “Asmahan’s life witnessed suffering. Whether on the family level or the artistic community, she lived her short life between warnings and fear of the family’s anger, and her role in trying to help her family, and she had a patriotic role, but she was accused of espionage, and this is a great injustice to her and her reputation, and an obliteration of her national and artistic role, and what her brother Farid gave her of She devoted her talent to performing melodies, in addition to the magic of her voice and her extraordinary ability to perform most types of singing, especially the lyric poem.
