Beirut is staging a cultural festival to revitalize its image at a time of regional turmoil. The festival's centerpiece is a spectacular sound and light show in a giant dome on the city's waterfront.
Beirut Cultural Festival —
Beirut is staging a cultural festival to revitalize its image at a time of regional turmoil. The festival's centerpiece is a spectacular sound and light show in a giant dome on the city's waterfront.
Beirut Cultural Festivals
The show, titled "The Story of Beirut," uses the city's Nijmeh Square as its focal point. The square's clock tower is used as a thematic device, spinning the audience back through history.
Story of Beirut —
The show, titled "The Story of Beirut," uses the city's Nijmeh Square as its focal point. The square's clock tower is used as a thematic device, spinning the audience back through history.
Beirut Cultural Festivals
Beirut's fate at the hands of Phoenician, Roman, Ottoman and French invaders and colonists are explored in the show using dramatic 360-degree light projections.
Invaders —
Beirut's fate at the hands of Phoenician, Roman, Ottoman and French invaders and colonists are explored in the show using dramatic 360-degree light projections.
Beirut Cultural Festivals
The Lebanese flag swirls on the roof of the dome as the audience rises proudly for the national anthem to mark the country's 1943 independence.
Independence —
The Lebanese flag swirls on the roof of the dome as the audience rises proudly for the national anthem to mark the country's 1943 independence.
Beirut Cultural Festivals
A re-enactment of the 1975-1990 civil war leaves the clock tower in ruins. "Beirut's lived this roller coaster life from the beginning," the show's art director Daniel Georr tells CNN. "We have the parties, then we have the war."
Destruction —
A re-enactment of the 1975-1990 civil war leaves the clock tower in ruins. "Beirut's lived this roller coaster life from the beginning," the show's art director Daniel Georr tells CNN. "We have the parties, then we have the war."
Beirut Cultural Festivals
Beirut's massive postwar rebuilding program saw the city rise once again -- a reason for local pride but also dissatisfaction from those priced out by new development.
Rising from the ruins —
Beirut's massive postwar rebuilding program saw the city rise once again -- a reason for local pride but also dissatisfaction from those priced out by new development.
Beirut Cultural Festivals
The festival show featured dazzling computer graphics and dramatic music arranged by Lebanese-Armenian composer Guy Manoukian.
Dizzying light show —
The festival show featured dazzling computer graphics and dramatic music arranged by Lebanese-Armenian composer Guy Manoukian.
Beirut Cultural Festivals
The show brought standing ovations, as well as singing and dancing from a capacity first-night audience that included big names from Beirut's social scene.
Crowd-pleaser —
The show brought standing ovations, as well as singing and dancing from a capacity first-night audience that included big names from Beirut's social scene.
Beirut Cultural Festivals
The show takes place on Beirut's waterfront. Other events include a dance night, and a motor village with the city's first ever Formula One event.
The Dome —
The show takes place on Beirut's waterfront. Other events include a dance night, and a motor village with the city's first ever Formula One event.
Barry Neild/CNN