On June 13, Pakistan's greatest ghazal singer, the legendary Mehdi Hassan, died at the age of 85. The recipient of numerous awards, Hassan has a permanent place not just in the musical halls of fame, but in the hearts of those with a love for classical music.
This weekend, the renowned Pakistani MC Anwar Maqsood and the singer Ali Abbas will pay a musical tribute to the great ghazal maestro, with the veteran singer Sajjad Ali as a guest.
Organised by Boulevard One, the musical evening intends to honour Mehdi Hassan's contribution to the world of music.
Maqsood, who will host the show, is a prominent compère and a household name in Pakistan, with a long association with Mehdi Hassan.
The young, soulful singer Ali Abbas burst into the limelight with Junoon Kuch Kar Dikhana Hai, an Indian reality TV show based on music. Abbas hails from a musical family from Faisalabad, Pakistan, and was formally trained from an early age. He says: "I have been in love with music since childhood and have been greatly inspired by Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan Sahib. I will try my best to bring Khan Sahib's music alive on the stage for the people of Dubai."
The popular Pakistani singer, lyricist, producer and director Sajjad Ali has been invited as a guest performer for this event. Ali's ties to Mehdi Hassan go back to his first album release when he was just 13: the classical hit album Master Sajjad Sings Memorable Classics, released in 1979 by EMI-Pakistan, featured music by Mehdi Hassan, among others.
Tomorrow, 7pm, Centrepoint Theatre, Ductac, Mall of the Emirates. Tickets cost from Dh200 to Dh500 and are available at the Ductac box office, 04 341 4777, www.timeouttickets.com and Boulevard One
