Abdel Halim Hafez

Abdel Halim Hafez

Egyptian Singer and Actor

 

Full Name: Abdel Halim Ali Ismail Shabana

Date of Birth: June 21, 1929

Place of Birth: Al-Hilwat Village – Al-Ibrahimiyya Center – Sharqia Governorate

Date of Death: March 30, 1977 (aged 47)

Place of Death: London

Burial Place: Al-Basatin Cemetery, Egypt

Cause of Death: Liver cirrhosis due to schistosomiasis

Height: 170 cm

Nationality:

 

Kingdom of Egypt (1929–1953)

 

Republic of Egypt (1953–1958)

 

United Arab Republic (1958–1971)

 

Egypt (1971–1977)

 

Nickname: The Dark-Skinned Nightingale

Occupation: Singer – Actor

Years Active: 1951 – 1977

Alma Mater: Arabic Music Institute

Languages: Arabic (Egyptian dialect)

Instruments:

 

Vibraphone

 

Oboe

 

Oud

 

His Life

Abdel Halim was the youngest of four siblings: Ismail, Mohamed, and Alia.

 

Lost both parents at a young age and lived with his uncle.

 

Contracted schistosomiasis as a child from canal water, which affected his health.

 

Underwent 61 surgeries during his lifetime due to the disease.

 

His brother, Ismail Shabana, was a singer and music teacher.

 

Early Artistic Path:

 

Loved music from childhood and was the head of the school’s choir.

 

Joined the Arabic Music Institute, composition department, in 1943.

 

Worked as a music teacher in Tanta, Zagazig, and Cairo for 4 years.

 

Later joined the radio musical ensemble as an oboe player.

 

Discovered by radio host Hafez Abdel Wahab, who gave him the name “Hafez”.

 

First Successful Radio Song:

 

"Safini Mara" (1952), which initially failed.

 

Re-sang it on June 30, 1953 (Proclamation of the Republic), gaining massive success.

 

Followed by "Ala Ad El-Shoq" (1954), which cemented his stardom.

 

Artistic Fame

Collaborated with top composers:

 

Mohamed El-Mougy

 

Kamal El-Tawil

 

Baligh Hamdy

 

Mohamed Abdel Wahab

 

Famous Songs:

 

Ahwak

 

Nebtedi Minain El-Hekaya

 

Fatet Ganbena

 

Zay El-Hawa

 

Sawah

 

Mawood

 

Hawel Teftekerni

 

Ay Dam'et Hozn La

 

Qare’at Al-Fingan

 

Resala Men Taht El-Maa

 

National Songs:

 

"A’adda El-Nahar"

 

"El-Masih"

(Sung in a London concert supporting the war effort after the 1967 defeat, in front of 8000 people at Albert Hall)

 

Relationships and Interests

Befriended royalty: King Hassan II, Habib Bourguiba, King Hussein

 

Wanted to act in a movie adaptation of the novel "La" by Mostafa Amin, with Naglaa Fathy, but the project was never realized

 

Presented 3 musical theater programs:

 

The Nile Girl

 

Ma’ruf the Shoemaker

 

Wafaa

 

His Mysterious Love

According to Laila Al-Amrousy, wife of Magdy Al-Amrousy:

 

Met his beloved for the first time in the elevator of a building in Sidi Bishr, Alexandria

 

Followed her in his car to her chalet, near Ihsan Abdel Quddous’ chalet

 

Described her as having "the most beautiful eyes" he had ever seen

 

Writer Mostafa Amin noticed him staring at her while singing "Betlomouni Leh" on stage

 

Number of Songs:

More than 230 songs

 

Collected and documented by his friend Magdy Al-Amrousy