Salwa Al Katrib

Salwa Al Katrib or Salwa Al Qatrib, Salwa Katrib (17 September 1953 – 2 March 2009), was a Lebanese singer best known for her roles in Emerald Princess and Mountain Girl (Bent Al Jabal). She was the wife of Nahi Lahoud and the mother of aspiring Lebanese actress and singer Aline Lahoud. She enjoyed most of her fame in the theatrical circle in Lebanon and the Arab World between 1974 and 2005. She died of cerebral hemorrhage in 2009.

Salwa Al Katrib was born on 17 September 1953 in (Tripoli), Lebanon, to a family of musicians. The thought of being involved in theater work was far from reality until she was discovered by Lebanese director Romeo Lahoud.

She played in "Singof Singof" with Georgina Rizk and Tony Hanna in 1975. She won many awards throughout her career. Subsequently, in 1975 Said Akl awarded Katrib for her acting and singing abilities. She played in 12 musicals under the direction of Romeo Lahoud: "Bint el Jabal" with Antoine Kerbage in 1977, then with Melhem Barakat in "Amira Zmorrod". In 1979, she sang with Elie Choueri in "Oxygene". In 1980, she played "Yasmine" with Abdo Yaghi. In 1982, she was "Superstar" with Alec Khalaf. In 1983, she played in "Hikayat Amal" with Ghassan Saliba and Elias Elias.

The artistic director of the French singer Serge Lama proposed to Salwa Katrib to become an international star in France and the US, but she refused because she didn't want to leave Lebanon. In 1985, she was the star on "Al Hilm el Talett", and she performed at the festival of Bosra in Syria, and at the festival of Timgad in Algeria. She sang more than 150 songs composed by Romeo Lahoud, Zaki Nassif, Toufic Bacha, Elie Choueri, Elias Rahbani and Melhem Barakat.

She won many awards, including, a "Special Award of Appreciation" from the mayor of Los Angelesin 1989; the "Jarash Event First Prize" and the Jordanian government's promotion and prestige in 1987%, the first prize of the Gold Eagle in Abu Dhabi for her song "Zikrayate" in 1986. She also won the Murex d'Or in 2005 and in 2009.

King Hussein of Jordan, presidents Camille Chamoun, Amine Gemayel, Michel Aoun and Elias Hrawi were her most famous supporters. Mohamad Abelwahab the great Egyptian composer asked her to sing his famous "Anta Omri". Her last appearance on TV was with Neshan Der Haroutounian in "Maestro" (2005). In 2006, she decided to stop singing because she was astonished by the degradation of the artistic situation in Lebanon.

She died on 4 March 2009, aged 55. She is one of the famous star singers in Lebanon and Arab countries. President Michel Suleiman honored her by giving her the golden medal of the Lebanese republic. She was married to Nahi Lahoud her producer and artistic director. Her daughter Aline Lahoud is also a singer. Her husband Nahi Lahoud has announced that he is preparing a film relating her artistic life.

Theatre

• Singof Singof  : 1974
• Bint El Jabal  : 1977
• Amira Zomrod  : 1978
• Ismal bi Albi  : 1978
• Oxygene  : 1979
• Yasmine  : 1980
• Superstar  : 1982
• Hikayat Amal  : 1983
• Helm Thalett  : 1985
• Bint El Jabal  : 1988 (remake)
• Yasmine  : 1998 (remake)

Television

• Alwane 1975 (Tele Liban with Riad Charara)
• Layali Sheherazade 1980 (Tele Liban with Georges Chalhoub)
• Salwa Show 1 1984 (Tele Liban with Ghassan Saliba)
• Independence Day 1984 (Tele Liban with Raymonde Anghelopoulo)
• Salwa show 2 1985 (Tele Liban with Ferial Karim)
• Studio 86 1986 (Jordan TV)
• Women in the Independence 1994 (LBC)
• The Eyes of Christmas 1996 (Tele Liban)
• Jerash Festival 1987 (Jordanian Television with Abdo Yaghi & Alain Merheb)
• Byblos Festival 1987 1992-1998 (LBC)
• Sahrate Charqiah 1988 (LBC)
• Tyr Festival 1991 (Mashrek TV with Nadim Berberi)
• Special Evening 1993 (Tele Liban with Romeo Lahoud)
• Sahra Gheir Chikil 1993 (Tle Liban)
• Doyouf El Sabett 1985 (LBC with Simon Asmar)
• Al Leyl il maftouhh 1997 (Futur TV)
• Maestro 2005 (NTV with Aline Lahoud & Nichan)
• Sini aan sini 1997 (MTV with Hyam Abouchedid)
• Army Day 2001 (LBC with Maggy Aoun)

• Prix Said Akl 1976
• Key of Alger 1984
• Jerash Art Appreciation 1987
• Award of Appreciation LA 1989
• Scoop d'Or 1987
• Gold Medal Independence 1991
• Gold Eagle of Arab Song 1996
• Gold Medal of the Army 2001
• Murex d'Or 2005
• Medaille d'or du merite libanais 2009
• Murex d'or 2009
• Award of Appreciation from Amchit Municipality (2009)
• Award of Appreciation from Balamand University (2010)
• Award of Appreciation from Arts & Music Institute (2011)
• Award of Appreciation from Saint-Coeurs College (2011)