There are concerts you attend, and then there are evenings that feel like shared memory. A Night With the Legends at the Royal Albert Hall promises the latter, a moving tribute to the women who defined the Golden Era of Arabic music and shaped generations of listeners across the Arab world and beyond.
Taking place on March 5th, 2026, just ahead of International Women’s Day, this one-night-only performance is a chance to sit with the music, the stories, and the voices that still resonate decades later.
Honouring the Women Who Shaped Classical Arabic Music
Umm Kulthum, Fairuz, Asmahan, Sabah, Warda, these are singers whose voices carried the emotional and cultural weight of their time. Their voices accompanied love and loss, political change, exile, and homecomings, becoming part of everyday life across generations.
A Night With the Legends places these women where they’ve always belonged: at the centre. The concert honours them as cultural forces in a 90-minute tribute.
Celebrating International Women’s Day, A Night With the Legends reminds us that these voices are not relics of the past, but living influences that continue to inspire.
Abeer Nehme Headlines the Tribute
At the heart of the evening is Abeer Nehme, whose internationally acclaimed performances capture the emotional depth and musical integrity of these iconic repertoires.
She is joined by the London Arab Orchestra, conducted by Basel Saleh, alongside the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, bringing cinematic scale while preserving the intimacy at the heart of the music.
A defining element of the night is the inclusion of a ground-breaking all-female choir. More than a musical choice, it’s a powerful extension of the legacy being celebrated, women’s voices rising together, echoing across generations.
Jessica Kahawaty Leads the Evening with Storytelling
The evening is guided by Jessica Kahawaty, who leads the audience through the stories behind the music in the spirit of Scheherazade. Her storytelling weaves history and human detail into the performance, offering context that deepens each song’s emotional weight.
A Final Note
This is the kind of concert people talk about on the way home. Songs resurface, stories are exchanged, names are spoken with affection. A Night With the Legends offers a space to remember why this music continues to matter, and why these voices still feel so close.
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