Lebanon's international music festivals kicked off at the weekend with a performance in the Roman ruins of Baalbek, the first performance there since the country's economic crisis.
Under the title of "Baalbek Nights Return," conductor Lubnan Baalbaki – whose first name means "Lebanon" and whose last name means "from Baalbek" - led the orchestra on Friday night alongside his sister, singer Soumaya. The country once held several music festivals every summer, drawing international acts every weekend. This year, the modest reopenings feature almost exclusively Lebanese performers.
