Opera Arias in the Hezbollah Stronghold

Placido Domingo was one of the guests at this year's Baalbek Festival in Lebanon. Christina Förch accompanied the Spanish star tenor along Khomeini images and Hezbollah statues into the arena – the largest Roman temple in the world.

photo: Christina Förch — Concentrating on the music - for Placido Domingo Hezbollah radicalism was not an issue during his stay in Baalbek

The tires of four jeeps gave a squeak as they stopped in front of the small but fine Palmyra Hotel in Baalbek. Security officers jumped out and secured the short path to the hotel entrance. But far and wide, no fans could be seen who might threaten the opera star as he arrived. Even the hotel personnel didn't seem as if they were prepared for Placido Domingo's visit on the day before his concert in the Roman ruins.

No hotel manager to greet the maestro with a glass of champagne. No boy to show him to his room. It was all rather unceremonious – which is unusual for Domingo, who normally lodges in five-star hotels with his complete entourage.

Largest Roman temple in the world

Every year, the ruins of Baalbek are the scene of Lebanon's most renowned music festival. Stars such as Sting or Charles Aznavour have already performed here in the largest Roman temple in the world.

This year opera singer Domingo was the highlight of the festival. Four thousand came to the show, among them much of the local VIPs – a considerable number of spectators for a country as small as Lebanon.

The people of Baalbek are, on the one hand, proud to have a bit of international glitz and glamour every summer. But on the other hand, like the hotel personnel, they don't make a big fuss over their famous guests.

Gunfire protest against the Old Testament

This city in the Bekaa Valley is a stronghold of the Hezbollah . And the Shiite militia has learned to use the media hype for its own purposes.

In 2000, Shiite militiamen fired into the air during a show as a form of protest. The reason for this action was that a classical choir piece was being performed for which the text was taken from the Old Testament, that is, according to the Hezbollah 's interpretation, it was from the book of the Jews.

Even if the "Zionist enemy" has been successfully driven out of the country, that is no reason to celebrate the enemy, said the militia back then. The pros and cons of this action circulated throughout the Lebanese press for weeks afterward.

The following summer the Hezbollah set up an exhibition on the "Resistance" in the front court of the Roman temple. And this year again they called attention to themselves. At the entrance to the temple, they placed a three meter high statue of a fighter in uniform with a Hezbollah flag in hand, his foot resting on an Israeli helmet.

Whether or not opera star Domingo took notice of this statue and its meaning is debatable – he seemed to be busy with other things.

The singer, who has since returned to San Diego and Los Angeles after his recent concert here, was apparently under too much stress to react to such trifles. Even the images on the outskirts of town of Ayatollah Khomeini, or the Iranian religious head of state Khatami, or the Hezbollah leader Nasrallah seem to have escaped his attention.

"The world simply is the world"

But he apparently wasn't afraid. This is evident from the fact that he held court and stayed overnight in Baalbek – unlike Elton John, who decided to fly in from Cyprus last year.

"For me the world is simply the world. I love traveling. If I had doubts, I simply wouldn't have come," said the opera star. Even his personal bodyguard didn't harbor any fears.

"We are working closely together with Lebanese security people, and I trust them," said the head of security, Thomas Görgens. For his part, he stayed close to the maestro. "But there is a surplus risk." This is not due to Domingo's level of fame, however, but more to "secondary persons" such as the high-ranking Lebanese politicians or consuls who come to the shows.

"I loved the Lebanese audience"

Domingo had already performed in Lebanon two years ago, back then at the palace courtyard at Beiteddine.

"I loved the Lebanese audience, it was a unique atmosphere. I promised them then that I would come to Baalbek next time."

The mighty Roman temple apparently impressed him, with its huge dimensions. "It is a magical, phenomenal place," said the singer. "I have never seen a temple with so many well-preserved columns." And it seemed to be the perfect place for him to perform opera arias and pieces from the Spanish folk opera Zarzuela, so loved by Domingo.

Another surprise was that this superstar performed with the young and internationally inexperienced Lebanese symphony orchestra.

Domingo's favorite conductor, Eugene Kohn, cut the musicians down to size even before the dress rehearsal with Domingo. But during the rehearsal, the American celebrity allowed an enthusiastic "Perfect! Perfect!" to slip out.

"It is wonderful to utilize the artistic capacities of a country," said Domingo. "And a show like this is one way to further develop artistic skills and to train new musicians."

The day after the concert, the maestro himself gave a nod of appreciation – which is high praise for an orchestra that is barely five years old and still rather unknown. And the people of Baalbek can count yet another superstar among the celebrities who have dared to come to this Hezbollah stronghold and to give it their best.

Christina Förch