Legend personalities of Hala Tribe in Hala, Sindh, Pakistan

   Written by Munawar Arbab

Abdul Ghani Arbab alias Parial Halo was born on 01.10 1896 in Hala new to Muhammad Juman Halo. It was evening of 1903; few boys of 5-6 years old were sitting on the northern kutcha wall (5’ height) of municipal of Hala New town. In front of that wall there was a small kutcha ground for grass mandi, thereafter a wide open katcha road and two market buildings (adjacent to each other); one for fish & mutton market and other for vegetable & fruit market. The kutcha wide was leading on eastern side to the town centre and on west side to Muslim primary school and to Hala Old.

While these boys were playing, chanting and making mischieves, few boys appeared on western side of the kutcha road. They all had books and slates in their hands. They were also chanting and making mischieves. They were the students of primary classes coming from Muslim primary school after close of afternoon shift.

Muhammad Parial Halo looked and stared at them. How healthy, neat, clean, active, agile, smiling, and intelligent they looked. He started liking them. Why he can not be like them, he asked himself. He immediately jumped from the wall he was sitting thereon, ran straight to home. He was looking for one thing nothing but his father. He saw his father, Muhammad Juman Halo entering the house with grass on his head and shoulders for their live stock.

“Father”, he said. “Yes, my son” his father replied. “I want to say some thing to you”, he said. “Yes, what do you want to say; say quickly as I have to feed my animals” his father replied, “Father, I want to go to school and study” he said freightendly. He was afraid that his father may scold or even beat him as there was no custom in his family to give education to children and none member was till educated in the family. “What”, his father astonishly said as it was an unexpected joyful shock for him but a dreadful sight for small boy, “I want to go to school and study”, the boy said,

Muhammad Juman, his father whose face had become red due to delight approaches to the boy who noting the transform in the face of his father, moves backwards with fear of getting a good beating. Father caught hold of the boy, took him on arms and went on kissing him again saying “My son wants to go to school, wants to study, wants to become a big officer, wants to become a big man”; and this proved with the time even during his generation.

“Do you want to go to school and study, my son” he said. “Yes”, boy now replied confidently.

Next day, his father took him to Muslim Primary School and got him admitted in nursery classes. This is how his education started. After getting primary education from Hala New, he was sent to Sindh Madressatul Islam School, Karachi in 1908 where from he did matric in 1914. During studies there he was not only good in studies but also achieved excellence in sports as well.

i. In 1914 he got First prize in high jump in Sindh Schools’ Athletic competition held at polo ground in Karachi, which is still recorded at main hall of Sindh Madressatul Islam School, Karachi

ii. He got a medal from School which read as “Good at games & good at work as well”

After school studies he joined Forest department where from he obtained premature retirement as office superintendent. Back to his native place, at the instance of Makhdoom Ghulam Hyder, he joined as an Administrator in Hala Municipal where he honestly served the town and people with his full responsibilities and with his utmost capabilities. His name as per birth certificate and school certificates was Mohammad Parial Halo which he changed to Abdul Ghani in 1926. He died in February 1970 at the age of 74 years and is buried at Arbabs' graveyard, Hala New.

He married in 1919 with Jamzadi d/o Ghulam Muhammad Halo. God was kind to him and bestowed him with eight sons and one daughter. His sons brought honour, respect and prosperity to his family having been highly placed in government and banking jobs; they were:

1. Hassan Ali Arbab

     He was born on 18.12.1920. After doing B.A he got scholarship from Junagardh Government, India where from he did M.A and LL.B. During student life he joined Khaksar movement and was personally known to Allama Mashraqi for his active participation in the movement. He joined secretariat services and reached to the level of Deputy Secretary in West Pakistan Government before he died accidentally in August 1967.  He had 03 sons from two wives, Mansoor Ali Arbab, Mahfooz Ali Arbab and Masroor Ali Arbab (An Engineer in Public Health, Government of Sindh). He died in August 1967.

2. Cdr: Qurban Ali Arbab

He was born on 20.03.1923. He did M.A, LLB, and immediately after creation of Pakistan he got commission in Pak Navy and reached to the level of Commander. He was among the defense personnels who were assigned the mission to take over Gwader & Turbat cities in 1958. In 1963 he was sent as Harbour Master to Chalna Port, East Pakistan where he safely anchored the heaviest tonnage ship; thus creating a world record. He was awarded many war and civil medals during his stay in Pak Navy. After transered back from East Pakistan in November 1992, he became Harbor Master in Bin Qasim Port, Karachi where he provided hundreds of jobs to poor people especially of Hala. He is to be credited for giving higher education to his brother and nephews who all fulfilled his pious dreams; and thus uplifting the family. He was very kind and generous, and used to bear expenses towards education of many poor students of Hala. He died in January 2001. He had 02 sons from two wives, Saleem Perwaiz & Aslam Javed (Both bankers),

3. Asif Ali Arbab

He was born on 08.09.1925. He joined forest department and retired as a Range Forest Officer He had only one son, Ayaz Ahmed. He died in July 1990.

4. Zafar Ali Arbab

He was born on 16.12.1928. He joined education department, and did M.A, B.T. He reached to the level of Inspector of Secondary School. He was a very good administrator, and always wished for the uplift of people of Hala clan. He provided many jobs to poor and need persons in education department. He died in October 1993. He had 03 sons, Altaf Hussain (Lt. Col in Pak Army), Aftab Ahmed (Customs Officer) & Munir Hussain (Executive Engineer),

5. Cdr: Akhtar Ali Arbab

He was born on 12.11.1930. He did M.A, LL.B. Started legal practice at Hyderabad where from he was selected as Civil Judge and first class Magistrate. He got he got commission and joined Pak Navy where he reached to the level of Commander & Judge Advocate General. He, as a Commanding Officer of a Mine Sweeper participated in naval attack launched by Pakistan on Dwarka, India during Indo-Pak war of 1965. He was awarded many war and civil medals during his service in Pak Navy. After retirement from Pak Navy he joined as Director, Legal in Defence Housing Authority, Karachi.

He was an excellent sportsman. He was member of cricket eleven of Karachi University and Badminton Champion of S.M. Law College, Karachi. He is a very simple and kind hearted gentleman always ready to help poor people. He always used to encourage, help and give guidance to young people to join Pak Armed Forces. He has two sons, Sohail Akhtar (Bank Executive) & Cdr: Tufail Akhtar ((Commander in Pak Navy).

6. Zubaida Khatton

     The only daughter born on 19.04.1933. She was married to her cousin Ali Mohammad s/o Allah Rakhiyo Halo Arbab.

7. Masood Ali Arbab He was born on 15.07.1936. After doing B.E degree from N.E.D College in 1959 he joined Irrigation department and reached to the level of Chief Engineer, Government of Sindh. He was awarded scholarship by Government of France and went Paris in 1964 where from he obtained diploma in Agricultural Hydraulics. He was a very strict administrator. He was famous for his generosity by financially helping the poor people and providing funds for social work apart from providing many jobs to poor and needy people in irrigation department. He died in 2010. He has 06 sons from two wives, Dr. Tahir Masood, Aamir Masood, Asim Masood, Captain Fahad Masood, Pusheban Masood and Sa’ad Masood.

8. Munawar Ali Arbab

He was born on 01.07.1940. After doing M.B.A from IBA, Karachi in 1966 he joined banking career and reached to the level of SEVP of a commercial bank Worked in international banking also as CEO in United Bank AG, Zurich, in Switzerland for 03 years. He was selected two times by World Bank for training in international banking at IDA, Dublin, Ireland and City University, London, United Kingdom. He was man of principle and a strict administrative. He provided hundreds jobs to poor and needy people in banks. He was a good sportsman. He was declared best Cricketer for the year and Runner-up champion in Badminton of the school. He represented cricket eleven of D.J.Science College, Karachi. After retiring he wrote a few books which include: Spiritualism in the Poetry of Shah Latif Bhittai, Understanding Concepts of Commercial Banking, Hala and Halas in Historical Perspective and Sufi Saints of Indus Valle). His articles published on hubpages.com and wikpedia.org includes Anecdotes about Shah Latif Bhittai, Anecdotes about Sachal Sarmast, Uniqueness in the Poetry of Shah Bhittai, Halakandi & Halas and Journey to Lahut LaMakan. He has four daughters and one son, Kashif Munawar

9. Aijaz Ali Arbab

He was born on 09.12.1941. He did M.A from Sindh University. Joined local bodies department and rose to the level of Office Superintendent before retirement from Municipal Hala New. He was a good cricket player of the school of his times. He has 03 three sons, Dr: Naveed Aijaz (Eye specialist), Nadeem Aijaz (Engineer) and Waheed Aijaz (Engineer).

10. Kashif Munawar Arbab

He was born on 04.04.1972. He did “O” Level from City School, Karachi, and the got his entire education in United Kingdom; “A” Level from Prince Thorpe College, Rugby UK), BBA from Bradford University (UK) and M.SC. (Management Economics) in First Class from London School of Economics (UK) which is considered as the number one University in the world in the field of Economics. He started his career as Financial Consultant / Advisor in London. Worked as Managing Director of a British Investment & Asset Management Company stationed in Dubai, UAE. Now working as a Director in UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland) He has one son, Daaryan Kashif Arbab.

11. Shah Muhammad Halo

Mongolian King Amir Taimur Lung after conquering Iran reached Herat where he was given very warm welcome by Syed Mir Rahmat Ali of Herat. Wherefrom on way to attack Hindustan in 13 98 A.D, he took with him Syed Mir Rahmat’s five sons. After accomplishment of victories and while returning to Herat, he gave highest positions in Hindustan to four of them. While the fifth one, Syed Hyder Shah did not accept any position. He took permission from Amir Taimur Lung and went on a journey to Indus valley. When he reached Halakandi, he liked the town and settled there. He lived in a house in the locality of Halas just opposite to house of Shah Muhammad s/o Darya Khan Halo who was the chief of Halas at that time. Syed Hyder Shah helped Shah Muhammad Halo in settlement of differences and quarrels with other tribes. Thus relations between the two so developed that Shah Muhammad Halo gave her daughter, Mst.Fatima Bibi in marriage to Syed Hyder. Their descendants are presently living in Matiari and are known as “Sharafpota”. The legends and saintly people like Shah Abdul Karim Bulriwala and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai are descending from this family.

Late Mahboob Ali Shah of Matiari, a descendant of Hyder Shah of Herati, who was a learned man and had a very big library full of new, old, hand written (Kalmi) and antique books, had told me that Shah Mohammad Halo had only one son and one daughter. He gave his daughter, Fatima Bibi who was given in marriage to Hyder Shah; from whom he had the son, Ali Shah. The Syeds of Matiari, Bhanot, Sann (District Dadu), Bhiria (District Naushero Feroze) are descendants of Akbar Shah’s son from this lady.

While Mr. Allah Din “Soz” Halai in his book,” Kawi Ji Katha” has mentioned 05 sons of Shah Mohammad Halo s/o Darya Khan Halo, as Bhanho, Ghaho, Saalaar, Khano and Bhiyan. He further writes that Shah Mohammad Halo during his life time gifted his wealth to his sons by giving lands of village Bhanot to Bhanho, Ghahot to Ghaho, Salaro to Saalaar, Khanot to Khano and Bhiyan to Bhiyan. However, his hypothesis is near to the legend which goes that Halas have 07 branches (Not sons of Shah Mohd Halo) as Bhanho, Ghaho, Saalaar, Khano, Bhiyan, Juriah and Ghotanah. The people of each branch settled down at different places and named that places (which still exist) after the person who was accepted as the thief of the branch because of land holdings or social worker etc.

12. Arbab Ali Arbab:

He was born in 1939 in the family of Hafiz Ali Mohammad. He belonged to a very poor family and was simply a clerk in irrigation department with a meager salary. He was not highly educated but ensured to give high education to his brother and children. He believed in women’s’ education and gave education to his all daughters to the highest level as M.B.B.S, B.E, M.B.A, M.Sc., M.CS (IT), M.A (Economics). I have yet to see a man of such determination like this. He would legally do every thing to get even an impossible. He never failed when it was the matter of his children’s' education and admission in professional colleges, domicile jobs (even for daughters) etc. He died in 2008.

Ancestral Three of Halas (Arbabs) of Hala

                          Halo (Yet to be ascertained)

↓ Unidentified ↓ Unidentified ↓ Darya Khan Halo (Lived in Halakandi) ↓ Shah Muhammad Halo (Father-in-Law of Haider Shah of Herat) ↓ Unidentified ↓ Unidentified ↓ Unidentified ↓ Muhammad Yousuf Halo (He is buried at Aamri, Dist. Dadu) ↓ Muhammad Juman Halo(He lived in Hala Old) ↓ Muhammad Yousuf Halo ↓ Ezat Khan Halo (Migrated from Hala Old to Hala New) ↓ Allah Rakhiyo Halo 2.Muhammad Juman Halo(He is buried at Bombay, India on return way from Haj)

                              ↓

1. Ezat Khan Halo 2. Allah Rakhiyo Halo 3. Abdul Ghani Arbab alias Muhammad Parial Halo

                                                   ↓

1. Hussain Ali 2.Qurban Ali 3.Asif Ali 4. Zafar Ali 5.Akhtar Ali 6. Masood Ali

                                 7. Munawar Ali     8. Aijaz Ali 
                                         ↓                               
                                 Kashif Munawar Arbab
                                          ↓                                      
                                  Dayan Kashif Arbab

Hala of Hala Taluka, Sindh can refer to:

• An informal salutation or greeting in the Arabic language
• Hāla, an Indian king of the Satavahana dynasty
• Hala (clan), a clan of India and Pakistan
• Al Hala, a neighbourhood in Muharraq, Bahrain, also known as Halat Bu Maher
• A word for "clan" in the Manchu language: cf. Manchu clans
• Spiders of genus Halidae
• The Hala (tree) of Oceania (Pandanus tectorius)
• Ala (demon), or Hala, a demon in the Serbian and Bulgarian mythology
• Homeworld of an alien race known as the Kree from various Marvel Comics

See also[link]

• Haala, a town in Sindh, Pakistan

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Domingo speaks at the National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors on October 31, 2008, in Washington, DC.

Plácido Domingo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈplaθiðo ðoˈmiŋɡo]; born 21 January 1941),^[1] born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range. In March 2008, he debuted in his 128th opera role,^[2] and as of July 2011, his 136 roles give Domingo more roles than any other tenor.^[3]

One of The Three Tenors, he has also taken on conducting opera and concert performances, and he is the General Director of the Los Angeles Opera in California.

Biography and career[link]

Early years[link]

Plácido Domingo (1979)

Plácido Domingo was born on January 21, 1941, in the distrito de Retiro^[4] section of Madrid, Spain, and in 1949 moved to Mexico with his family, who ran a zarzuela company. He studied piano at first privately and later at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City.

In 1957, Domingo made his first professional appearance, performing with his mother in a concert at Mérida, Yucatán. He made his opera debut performing in Manuel Fernández Caballero's zarzuela, Gigantes y cabezudos, singing a baritone role. At that time, he was working with his parents' zarzuela company, taking baritone roles and as an accompanist for other singers. Among his first performances was a minor role in the first Mexican production of My Fair Lady where he was also the assistant conductor and assistant coach. The company gave 185 performances, which included a production of Lehár's The Merry Widow in which he performed alternately as either Camille or Danilo.

In 1959, Domingo auditioned for the Mexico National Opera as a baritone, but was then asked to sight-read some arias and lines in the tenor range. Finally he was accepted in the National Opera as a tenor comprimario and as a tutor for other singers. He provided backup vocals for Los Black Jeans in 1958, a rock-and-roll band led by César Costa. He studied piano and conducting, but made his stage debut acting in a minor role in 1959 (12 May) at the Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara as Pascual in Marina. It was followed by Borsa in Rigoletto (with Cornell MacNeil and Norman Treigle also in the cast), Padre Confessor (Dialogues of the Carmelites) and others.

He played piano for a ballet company to supplement his income as well as playing piano for a program on Mexico's newly founded cultural television station. The program consisted of excerpts from zarzuelas, operettas, operas, and musical comedies. He acted in a few small parts while at the theater in plays by Federico García Lorca, Luigi Pirandello, and Anton Chekhov.

1960s–1980s[link]

In 1961, Domingo made his operatic debut in a leading role as Alfredo in La Traviata at Monterrey (Maria Teresa Montoya theater) and, later in the same year, his debut in the United States with the Dallas Civic Opera, where he played the role of Arturo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor opposite Joan Sutherland in the title role.

In 1962, he returned to Texas to play the role of Edgardo in the same opera with Lily Pons at the Fort Worth Opera.^[5] At the end of 1962, he signed a six-month contract with the Israel National Opera in Tel Aviv, but later extended the contract and stayed for two and a half years, singing 280 performances of 12 different roles.

In June 1965, after finishing his contract with Israel National Opera, Domingo went for an audition at the New York City Opera and scheduled to make his New York debut as Don Jose in Bizet's Carmen, but his debut came earlier when he was asked to fill in for an ailing tenor at the last minute in Puccini's Madama Butterfly. On 17 June 1965, Domingo made his New York debut as B. F. Pinkerton at the New York City Opera. In February 1966, he sang the title role in the U.S. premiere of Ginastera's Don Rodrigo at the New York City Opera, with much acclaim. The performance also marked the opening of the City Opera's new home at Lincoln Center.

His official debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York occurred on 28 September 1968 when he substituted for Franco Corelli, in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur singing with Renata Tebaldi. Before Adriana Lecouvreur, he had sung in performances by the Metropolitan Opera at Lewisohn Stadium of Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci in 1966. Since then, he has opened the season at the Metropolitan Opera 21 times,^[6] surpassing the previous record of Enrico Caruso by four. He made his debut at the Vienna State Opera in 1967; at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1968; at both La Scala and San Francisco Opera in 1969; at the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company in 1970; and at Covent Garden in 1971. He has now sung at practically every other important opera house and festival worldwide. In 1971, he sang Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera, and continued to sing that part for many years, singing it, in fact, more than any other role.^[7]

Domingo has also conducted opera — as early as 7 October 1973, La traviata at the New York City Opera with Patricia Brooks — and occasionally symphony orchestras as well. In 1981 Domingo gained considerable recognition outside of the opera world when he recorded the song "Perhaps Love" as a duet with the late American country/folk music singer John Denver. In 1987, he and Denver joined Julie Andrews for an Emmy Award-winning holiday television special, The Sound of Christmas, filmed in Salzburg, Austria.

On 19 September 1985, the biggest earthquake in Mexico's history devastated part of the Mexican capital. Domingo's aunt, uncle, his nephew and his nephew's young son were killed in the collapse of the Nuevo León apartment block in the Tlatelolco housing complex. Domingo himself labored to rescue survivors. During the next year, he performed benefit concerts for the victims and released an album of one of the events.

1990s – present[link]

A statue in Mexico City as a recognition to his contributions to 1985 Mexico City earthquake victims and his artistic works

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s until today, Domingo has continued performing, singing many of the same roles, but adding new roles as well — among them the title roles in Wagner's Parsifal and Mozart's Idomeneo; Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia as Figaro; Wagner's Die Walküre as Siegmund; Lehár's The Merry Widow as Danilo; and Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac as Cyrano. From the middle 1990s to early in 2008 alone, he added 38 new roles to his repertoire, covering opera in six different languages (English, Italian, French, German, Russian and Spanish). The latest was the Italian opera by George Frideric Handel, Tamerlano.

Giving him even greater international recognition outside of the world of opera, Domingo participated in The Three Tenors concert at the eve of the 1990 FIFA World Cup Final in Rome with José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti. The event was originally conceived to raise money for the José Carreras International Leukemia Foundation and was later repeated a number of times, including at the three subsequent World Cup finals (1994 in Los Angeles, 1998 in Paris, and 2002 in Yokohama). Alone, Domingo again made an appearance at the final of the 2006 World Cup in Berlin, along with rising stars Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón. On 24 August 2008, Domingo performed a duet with Song Zuying, singing Ài de Huǒyàn (The Flame of Love) at the 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Beijing.^[8][9][10] The Beijing Olympics was the second Olympics at which he performed; he sang the Olympic Hymn at the closing ceremonies of the Barcelona Olympics.^[11] At the Olympic games that followed that, he would meet Sissel Kyrkjebø, who performed the Olympic Hymn at both the opening and closing ceremonies at those games.

In what has been called his 'final career move', Plácido Domingo announced on 25 January 2007 that in 2009, he would take on one of Verdi's most demanding baritone roles, singing the title role in Simon Boccanegra. The debut performance was at Berlin State Opera on October 24, followed by 29 other performances during 2009/2010 at major opera houses around the world.^[12] He would, however, continue to sing tenor roles beforehand and afterwards.

On 16–17 April 2008, he sang during the visit of Pope Benedict XVI at Nationals Park and at the Italian embassy in Washington D.C. Since 1990 Plácido Domingo has received many awards and honors for his achievement in the field of music and in recognition of his many benefit concerts and contributions to various charities.

On 15 March 2009, The Metropolitan Opera paid tribute to Domingo's 40th anniversary with the company with an on-stage gala dinner at the Met's 125th anniversary, commemorating his debut in Adriana Lecouvreur as Maurizio opposite Renata Tebaldi on 28 September 1968.^[13]

On 29 August 2009, he sang Panis Angelicus at the funeral mass of Senator Ted Kennedy in the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Boston, Massachusetts.^[14]

On September 20, 2010, Domingo announced that he would renew his contract as General Director of the Los Angeles Opera through 2013.^[15] On September 27, 2010, Domingo announced that he will not renew his contract as General Director of the Washington National Opera beyond its June 2011 expiration date.^[16]

Ever a sympathetic colleague, in March 2011 he refused to sing in Buenos Aires until the city settled a bitter musicians strike at the Teatro Colón.^[17]

On Dec. 31, 2011, Domingo sang Neptune in the Metropolitan Opera's World Premiere performance of The Enchanted Island, a pastiche of Baroque opera with story and characters drawn from Shakespeare's The Tempest and A Midsummer Night's Dream. A performance of this production has been telecast on PBS' Great Performances at the Met.

On 13 May 2012, Domingo performed during Real Madrid CF's season ending celebrations, the team having won their 32nd league title. Domingo is a fan of Los Merengues.

Family[link]

He was born to Plácido Francisco Domingo Ferrer (8 March 1907 – 22 November 1987) ^[18] and Pepita Embil Echaníz (28 February 1918 – 28 September 1994),^[19] two Spanish zarzuela stars who nurtured his early musical abilities. Domingo's father was half Catalan and half Aragonese, while his mother was a Basque. His father was a violinist performing for opera and zarzuela orchestra. He was a baritone and actively taking roles in zarzuela. However his promising career as a baritone ended after he damaged his voice by singing with a cold. Domingo's mother was an established singer who made her zarzuela debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. She met her husband at age 21 while performing in Federico Moreno Torroba's Sor Navarra. In 1946 Moreno Torroba and Domingo's parents formed a zarzuela company and travelled frequently to Mexico. His parents later stayed permanently in Mexico and established their own zarzuela troupe, the Domingo-Embil Company.^[20] In addition to their son, they also have a daughter, Maria José Domingo de Fernandez .

On 29 August 1957 at age 16, Plácido Domingo married a fellow piano student, Ana María Guerra Cué (1938–2006) and his first son, José Plácido Domingo Guerra (Pepe) was born on 16 June 1958.^[21] However, the marriage didn't last long, the couple separating shortly thereafter. On 1 August 1962, Plácido Domingo married Marta Ornelas, born 1935, a lyric soprano from Veracruz, Mexico, whom he met during his conservatory days.^[22] In the same year, Marta had been voted "Mexican Singer of the Year", but she gave up her promising career to devote her time to her family. They have two sons, Plácido Francisco (Plácido Jr.) born on 21 October 1965 and Alvaro Maurizio born on 11 October 1968.^[23] After a period of time living in Israel, Domingo and his family resided in Teaneck, New Jersey.^[24][25][26] During vacations, he usually spends his time with family in their vacation home in Acapulco, Mexico.^[27][28]

In March 2010 he underwent surgery for colon cancer.^[29]

Recordings[link]

Domingo has made well over 100 recordings, most of which are full-length operas, often recording the same role more than once. Among these recordings is a boxed set of every tenor aria Verdi ever wrote, including several rarely performed versions, in different languages from the original operas, which Verdi wrote for specific performances.

In August 2005, EMI Classics released a new studio recording of Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde in which Domingo sings the title role of Tristan. A review of this recording, headlined "Vocal perfections", that appeared in the 8 August 2005 issue of The Economist begins with the word "Monumental" and ends with the words, "a musical lyricism and a sexual passion that make the cost and the effort entirely worthwhile". It characterized his July 2005 performance of Siegmund in Wagner's Die Walküre at Covent Garden as "unforgettable" and "luminous". The review also remarks that Domingo is still taking on roles that he has not previously performed.

Recordings that were released in 2006 include studio recordings of Puccini's Edgar, Isaac Albéniz's Pepita Jiménez, as well as a selection of Italian and Neapolitan songs, titled Italia ti amo (all three with Deutsche Grammophon). Domingo appeared as the star act in the New Orleans Opera Association's A Night For New Orleans with Frederica von Stade and Elizabeth Futral, in March 2006. The concert was to raise funds for the rebuilding of the city. In September 2011, aged 70, he signed an exclusive record contract with Sony Classics.^[30]

Appearances on film and television[link]

Domingo at the 81st Academy Awards

See Domingo's opera recording in DVD/VHS format and audio CD format.

Domingo has appeared in numerous opera films, among them are Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's Madama Butterfly; Gianfranco de Bosio's Tosca with Raina Kabaivanska; Giuseppe Patroni Griffi's Tosca with Catherine Malfitano (Emmy Award);^[31] Franco Zeffirelli's Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci — all made for television — and, for theatrical release, Francesco Rosi's Carmen (Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording); Zeffirelli's Otello with Katia Ricciarelli; and Zeffirelli's La traviata (with Teresa Stratas, which received a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording).

His singing voice was heard performing the song "In Pace", during the closing credits of Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (1996).

He has also appeared on television in the 1978 La Scala production of Puccini's Manon Lescaut which marked the Scala debut of Hungarian soprano Sylvia Sass, as well in zarzuela evenings, and Live at the Met telecasts and broadcasts. In 2007, Domingo had a cameo role in The Simpsons episode "Homer of Seville", which revolves around Homer Simpson becoming an opera singer. In his cameo, Domingo sang briefly. Domingo appeared on The Cosby Show Season 5 as Alberto Santiago, a colleague of Dr. Cliff Huxtable.

In 1989, the international television series 'Return Journey' featured Domingo returning to his home city of Madrid reflecting life there whilst recording an album of Zarzuela arias for EMI. The film was directed by Ken MacGregor.

Domingo is the executive producer of the critically acclaimed 1998 Mexican film The Other Conquest, produced by his son Alvaro and directed by Salvador Carrasco, in which Domingo also performs the original aria "Mater Aeterna", composed by Samuel Zyman with lyrics by Carrasco.

In 2008, Domingo provided the voice of the long-haired Chihuahua named Montezuma in Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

[edit] Christmas in Vienna

In 1990, the idea for a Christmas-themed concert, involving the collaboration of Domingo, fellow operatic tenor and friend José Carreras, and pop music legend Diana Ross was first brought up. Vienna was chosen in 1992 to host the event due to its reputation as a capital of music and the particular charm of Austria during Christmas time. The Wiener Symphoniker under the direction of maestro Vjekoslav Šutej provided the orchestral music, and the Gumpoldskirchen Children's Choir provided choral vocals. On 23 December 1992, the first in what would turn out to be a series of Christmas in Vienna concerts was seen worldwide by several hundred million people. Plácido Domingo returned to Vienna for many more Christmas in Vienna concerts, performing with stars and friends of both pop and classical music, including Dionne Warwick, Charles Aznavour, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Michael Bolton, Sarah Brightman, Natalie Cole, Riccardo Cocciante, Patricia Kaas, Luciano Pavarotti, Tony Bennett and others.

Complete repertoire[link]

Perhaps the most versatile of all living tenors, Domingo has sung 128 opera roles and as many as 131 roles overall in Italian, French, German, English, Spanish and Russian.^[32] His main repertoire however is Italian (Otello; Cavaradossi in Tosca; Don Carlo; Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut; Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West; Radames in Aida); French (Faust; Werther; Don José in Carmen; Samson in Samson et Dalila); and German (Lohengrin, Parsifal, and Siegmund in Die Walküre). He continues to add more roles to his repertoire, the latest was the title baritone role in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra on 24 October 2009 at Berlin State Opera. Additionally, Domingo has created several new roles in modern operas, such as the title role in Tan Dun's opera The First Emperor at the Metropolitan Opera. In September 2010, he created the role of the poet Pablo Neruda in the world première of Daniel Catán's opera based on the film Il Postino at Los Angeles Opera.^[33] During the 2011-2012 season at the Met he has created the role of Neptune in the original baroque pastiche The Enchanted Island conducted by William Christie with a libretto by Jeremy Sams.

Awards and honors[link]

Plácido Domingo won his first Grammy Award in 1971 and went on to win eight more, as well as three Latin Grammy awards. A Kammersänger of the Vienna State Opera and the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates, he has received other major awards that include an Honorary Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom; Austria's Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst; France's Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur; Mexico's Orden del Águila Azteca; Spain's Premio Príncipe de Asturias; the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom; and most recently a Medal of Honour from Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman.^[34] In 2012, Domingo was voted into Gramophone's first Hall of Fame.^[35]

Writings[link]

• A new book by Domingo, The Joy of Opera, will be published by W. W. Norton & Company in year 2009^[36][37]

Humanitarian works and initiatives[link]

• In June 2010 Domingo became President of Europa Nostra, the Voice of Cultural Heritage in Europe

• On 4 March 2006, Domingo sang at the Gala Benefit Concert, "A Night For New Orleans" at the New Orleans Arena to help rebuilding the city after it was hit by Hurricane Katrina. At the gala, he made a statement: "If music be the food of love", then "MUSIC IS THE VOICE OF HOPE!" .^[38][39] On 23 March 2008, the New Orleans City Council named the city theatre's stage in the Mahalia Jackson Theatre in Louis Armstrong Park, the "Plácido Domingo stage" as the honour for his contribution at the Gala Benefits Concert. The Gala collected $700,000 for the city recovery fund.^[40]

• In 1986, he performed at benefit concerts to raise funds for the victims of 1985 Mexico City earthquake and released an album of one of the events. On 21 August 2007, as recognition to his support to 1985 Mexico City earthquake victims as well as his artistic works, a statue in his honor, made in Mexico City from keys donated by the people, was unveiled. The statue is the work of Alejandra Zúñiga, is two meters tall, weighs about 300 kg (660 lbs) and is part of the "Grandes valores" (Great values) program.^[41][42]

• Domingo supports the Hear the World initiative as an ambassador to raise awareness for the topic of hearing and hearing loss.^[43]

• In 1993 he founded Operalia, The World Opera Competition, an international opera competition for talented young singers. The winners get the opportunities of being employed in opera ensembles around the world.^[44] Domingo has been instrumental in giving many young artists encouragement, (and special attention) as in 2001, when he invited New York tenor, Daniel Rodriguez to attend the Vilar/Domingo Young Artists program to further develop his operatic skills.

• On 21 December 2003, Domingo made a performance in Cancún to benefit the Ciudad de la Alegria Foundation, the foundation that provides assistance and lodging to people in need, including low-income individuals, orphans, expectant mothers, immigrants, rehabilitated legal offenders, and the terminally ill.^[45]

• On 27 June 2007, Domingo and Katherine Jenkins performed in a charity concert in Athens to raise funds to aid the conflict in Darfur. The concert was organized by Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders.^[46]

• In 2 October 2007, Domingo joins several other preeminent figures in entertainment, government, the environment and more, as the one of receivers of the BMW Hydrogen 7, designed in the mission to build support of hydrogen as a viable substitute to fossil fuels.^[47]

• On 17 January 2009 he performed with the New Orleans Opera directed by Robert Lyall in a gala reopening of New Orleans' Mahalia Jackson Theatre for the Performing Arts. The master of ceremonies was New Orleans native Patricia Clarkson.^[48]

• In May 2011 he was invited by president Sepp Blatter to help clean up the football governing body, FIFA, which had been accused of taking bribes from countries that wanted to stage the World Cup.^[49]

See also[link]

• List of recordings by Plácido Domingo
• The Three Tenors
• Christmas in Vienna I, II, III, and VI
• Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording
• Category:Plácido Domingo albums
• Plácido Domingo Jr.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Plácido Domingo

• Official website
• Placido Domingo - My Greatest Roles Collection of televised performances from the legendary Spanish tenor
• Plácido Domingo International Operalia Opera Singer Contest
• World Tour Homepage
• Discography on EMI Classics website
• Discography on DG Classics website
• Opera is expensive, singers are cheap, Plácido Domingo about too small Operas, Casting-Singers as Paul Potts and the humility before a great career (Interview by Nahuel Lopez in German, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, 17 March 2009)
• Interview with Domingo from The Guardian, 10 July 2005
• Biography at the Kennedy Center
• Guardian article detailing his switch to baritone.
• History of the Tenor - Sound Clips and Narration

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2010)

Şebnem Ferah (born April 12, 1972 in Yalova, Turkey) is a Turkish singer and song-writer. She was the lead vocalist of the all-female hard rock band Volvox^[1] until 1994, after which she went on to pursue an illustrious solo career. Her music style varies from pop rock to hard rock though her later albums have progressively incorporated more of the hard rock sound.

Early life and Volvox[link]

Şebnem Ferah was born on 12 April 1972 in Yalova to ethnic Turkish immigrant parents from Skopje of the Republic of Macedonia. She first took solfeggio and instrument lessons from her father who was also a teacher. She grew up listening to her father's Rumelian folk songs played with bağlama, mandolin and piano.

She got her first guitar when she was in the first year in boarding at Namık Sözeri Lisesi of Bursa. She got acoustic lessons. During her second year, she hired a studio with her friends and formed the group Pegasus. The group had their first stage appearance during a rock festival in Bursa, in 1987. After a while, Pegasus disbanded. In 1988 Şebnem formed Volvox with four friends of her that they named after the microorganism known as volvox, which they encountered in a biology lesson. In 1989 she provided the voice of Ariel for The Little Mermaid. She also reprised the role in the redub.

After graduating from high school, she attended Middle East Technical University, studying economics, and moved to Ankara with her sister. During this time, she met Özlem Tekin, who has later become another recognized pop-rock musician in Turkey, and Özlem joined Volvox. Volvox could not practice for a year and a half because the members experienced a hardship with coming together, with the other members except Özlem and Şebnem living in Istanbul. In her second year at the university, Şebnem changed her mind about being an economist; instead she dropped out and moved back to Istanbul.

In Istanbul, she attended classes on English language and literature at the Istanbul University. For two years she performed in various bars with Volvox until dissolution of the band in 1994.

Solo career[link]

Although short-lived, Volvox gave Ferah what she needed: attention from professionals. Turkish diva Sezen Aksu and Aksu's writing/recording partner Onno Tunç saw Volvox on television. In a short time, Ferah sang back vocals for Sezen Aksu.

In 1996, Ferah released her first album Kadın, which contained some of her best songs, Vazgeçtim Dünyadan, Yağmurlar, Bu Aşk Fazla Sana, and Fırtına to name a few. They featured a rather polished and clean production, possibly the effect of producer İskender Paydaş; these came off much differently from how she would later perform the songs live. Kadın was a huge hit and lots of club and arena gigs followed its release.

Three years later, Ferah came into the scene with her second album, Artık Kısa Cümleler Kuruyorum. She was working with the same production team of Paydaş and members of Pentagram, but she had mostly broken free of artificial synths that time. Being a decent rock album, it was more introverted due to death of Sebnem's sister prior to its release. With less catchy songs, Ferah also started to create a fan base who would sing and feel all her lyrics rather than a following who would only memorize the hits and ignore the rest.

In 2001, Ferah came up with a more acoustic third album, Perdeler, two years after her father died at 1999 İzmit earthquake. Apart from the lead single Sigara, Perdeler fell short of creating hits. She also collaborated with Finnish band Apocalyptica on the title track.

Her next step was the fourth album "Kelimeler Yetse (If words would suffice)", which was released in 2003. The album was a low point in her career although it included "Ben Şarkımı Söylerken (While I'm Singing My Song)" and "Mayın Tarlası (Mine Field)."

In 2005, she released her fifth studio album Can Kırıkları, produced by Tarkan Gözübüyük. The album showcased her heavier side and was yet her most distortion-friendly outing. After her nationwide concert tour, a live CD/DVD 10 Mart 2007 Istanbul Konseri was released in 2007.

In December 2009, she released her sixth and recent studio album Benim Adım Orman, features slow rock song like Bazı Aşklar and Eski while there were hard rock song like, Merhaba and Mahalle. This album indicates her point of view for rock music.

Personnel[link]

Şebnem's current group consists of Buket Doran (bass guitar), Metin Türkcan (electric guitar), Aykan İlkan (drums), Ozan Tügen (keyboard)and Ceren Akyıldız (vocalist) who have been performing with her in studio and on stage since her 3rd album, Perdeler.And currently Serdar Barçın is joined the group as a flutist.

Discography[link]

References[link]