REPORT: Lebanon's beloved singer Sabah passes away at 87

Lebanese actress and singer Sabah (born Jeanette Gergis Al-Feghali) passed away on Wednesday November 26 at the age of 87.

Known in Lebanon as “Sabbouha," the renowned singer was born on the 10th of November 1927 in Wadi Shahroura, a town in the Baabda-Aley province.

Sabah, known as the "Diva of Music" in the Arab World released over 50 albums, acted in 83 movies and at least 20 stage plays.

Most of these movies are Egyptian and Lebanese movies. Her acting career stretches from 1943 until 2005. Some of the movies she acted in include:

- Iyam El Loulou written by Karim Abou Chakra
- Kanat Ayyam (1970)
- Nar el shawk (1970)
- Mawal (1966)
- El Aydi el Naema (1963) aka Soft Hands
- El Motamarreda (1963)
- Jaoz marti (1961)
- El Rajul el thani (1960)
- El Ataba el khadra (1959)
- Sharia el hub (1959)
- Salem al habaieb (1958)
- Izhay ansak (1956)
- Wahabtak hayati (1956)
- Lahn hubi (1953)
- Zalamuni el habaieb (1953)

She was the first Arabic singer to perform at Olympia in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, Piccadilly Theater in London and Sydney's Opera House.

Sabah received many awards during her lengthy career, including one from The Dubai International Film Festival and another from former Lebanese President Michel Sleiman at the Beiteddine Art Festival. She was also honored by the Egyptian Cinema in Cairo with a statue of herself.

The peroxide-blond with a throaty laugh and playful smile was nicknamed "shahroura," Arabic for "singing bird" and "the Sabbouha," a diminutive for "Sabah" by millions of fans across the Middle East.
     

In Lebanon, she was humorously mocked for refusing to leave the limelight, clinging to youth through surgeries, marriages to younger men and garish outfits.               

But she was universally admired for her love of life and positive outlook even in her old age.

Sabah got married several times throughout her life:

- Najib Chammas: for five years, father of her son, Dr. Sabah Chammas

- Khaled Bin Saud Bin Abdel Aziz Al-Saud: a couple of months, divorced due to pressure exerted by his family

- Anwar Menassi: four years, he is an Egyptian violinist and the father of her daughter Houwayda

- Ahmad Farraj, Egyptian anchor: three years

- Roushdi Abaza: five months

- Youssef Shaaban: one month

- Deputy Youssef Hammoud: two years

- Wassim Tabbara: four years

- Fadi Loubnan: 17 years

"Our giants are leaving, our cedars are diminishing. Farewell our shahroura, our beloved, rest in peace," wrote Lebanese singer Ragheb Alameh in a Twitter posting.

Also on Twitter, Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt wrote: "She was a great singer of a Lebanon that my generation knew, that will never come back."



LBCI/AP

For more details, watch Rima Assaf's full report in the video above