Egyptian director Amir Ramses has commented on the decision by the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh, to rely on Saudi and Gulf artists for the upcoming Riyadh Season.
In a statement on his official Facebook account, Ramses wrote: “I woke up to a wave of anger over Turki Al-Sheikh’s statement about relying on Saudi and Gulf artists in the Riyadh Season… but to be honest, I’m surprised. In the end, it’s a natural right for any country to develop its artists and depend on them.
“The real question is: we have the creators, the theaters, the infrastructure, the knowledge, the experience, and the audience… so what’s stopping us from doing the same? Why do we depend on others to present what we have? I think we should be angry when we look in the mirror, not when we look at others.”
Al-Sheikh had announced that Saudi Arabia would primarily rely on Saudi and Gulf artists for the Riyadh Season, with a few additions of Syrian and international plays.
In a post on his Facebook page, he said: “God willing, in the next Riyadh Season, there will be an almost complete reliance on Saudi and Gulf instrumentalists and musicians for concerts.”
He added: “We will also rely almost completely on Saudi and Gulf plays, with some additions of Syrian and international plays.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
