Hans Zimmer considers reimagining Saudi national anthem
German film score composer Hans Zimmer performs on stage during a concert at the Bercy Accor Arena venue in Paris on June 24, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
Saudi Arabia’s chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, announced potential collaborations with Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, including a new interpretation of the kingdom’s national anthem.
Alalshikh met with Zimmer in Riyadh during the Joy Awards to discuss several projects, he announced Monday on X, formerly Twitter.
“Today I met someone who is considered one of the greatest musicians of our time,” Alalshikh wrote.
“We discussed many future projects that I hope will see the light of day soon, including redistributing the Saudi national anthem with different instruments.”
Alalshikh, who serves as an adviser to the royal court, outlined additional projects under discussion with the renowned composer, including a musical work titled “Arabia,” inspired by the kingdom, and a potential soundtrack for an upcoming film about the Battle of Yarmouk.
“We agreed on the broad outlines of all these projects, and I hope we will reach a final agreement on them,” Alalshikh said.
Zimmer, a 12-time Oscar nominee who won for “The Lion King” and “Dune,” recently performed at Dubai Opera with the Limitless Orchestra. His previous work includes scores for “Gladiator,” “Interstellar,” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”
In an earlier interview with The National, Zimmer discussed cultural fusion in film. “If we look back, so many of the contributors to early film were refugees from Nazi Germany, or European immigrants more broadly. Cultures collided, and that brought something special,” he said.
Alalshikh also mentioned plans for a potential Zimmer concert during a future Riyadh Season, the winter festival featuring musical acts, boxing matches, and cultural pavilions.
He added that Zimmer is an admirer of Saudi Arabia and its people and promised to return to the country with his family.
