From Opera to Orientalism: The Untold Story of Mohammed El

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How did a highly revered Lebanese opera singer end up in a goofy Ali Baba costume in America?

This is the story of Mohammed El-Bakkar, an Arab artist who put out several albums in the 1950s, all of which had covers full of exaggerated Orientalist stereotypes.

But here's the thing: before moving to the US and releasing those records, El-Bakkar actually had an extremely prolific career in the Middle East as a respected musician, composer, actor, and even an opera singer. So what happened?

This video aims to explore the unique circumstances that lead El-Bakkar to that particular point in his life, while also touching on several broader cultural factors that played a role as well, like Egyptian cinema in the 1940s, the history of Arab immigration to the US, the unlikely intersection of jazz and Islam, and much more.

I would like to give a special thank you to

Professor Richard M. Breaux, who wrote a very thorough blog post on El-Bakkar on his blog, Midwest Mahjar.
syrianlebanesediasporasound.blogspot.com/2019/08/mohammed-el-bakkar-modern-arab-kitsch.html

Saki Knafo, who wrote a great profile of El-Bakkar for The Believer magazine, which was also a great source of information.
believermag.com/orientalist-party-music/

If you'd like to learn more about Middle Eastern nightclubs in America, check out Professor Anne K. Rasmussen's "An Evening in the Orient": The Middle Eastern Nightclub in America".
jstor.org/stable/834173?seq=1

If you'd like to learn more about Ahmed Abdul-Malik, check out Robin D. G. Kelley's "Africa Speaks, America Answers: Modern Jazz in Revolutionary Times".
amazon.com/Africa-Speaks-America-Answers-Revolutionary/dp/0674046242

I do not own the rights to any of the media featured in this video. All music, footage, and images are used for the purpose of commentary and education.

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