Photo Flash: Inside the Concept Album Recording of BROKEN WINGS

Auburn Jam Records has released the concept album of major new musical Broken Wings, an autobiographical tale of tragic love based on Lebanese-born poet Kahlil Gibran's 1912 masterpiece. The show is written by West End star Nadim Naaman (The Phantom of the Opera) and Dana Al Fardan, one of The Middle East's leading contemporary composers, and with orchestrations by Joe Davison.

The album release was marked with a celebration and performance at the Lebanese Embassy in London on Wednesday 9th, and it reached #4 in the UK iTunes soundtrack chart.

The concept album cast is headed by Rob Houchen (Les Misérables, Titanic) and Hiba Elchikhe (Princess Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin) as teenage protagonists Gibran and Selma, with composer Nadim Naaman (Raoul in the West End's The Phantom of The Opera) as Gibran's older self, the show's narrator. Adam Linstead (Les Misérables, Cats) plays Selma's father, with Nadeem Crowe (School of Rock) as Gibran's friend Karim, and Soophia Foroughi (Lady of the Lake, Spamalot) as Mother. The album also features Gillian Budd, Joseph Claus, Siubhan Harrison, James Hume, Irvine Iqbal, Nikita Johal, Sami Lamine, Leo Miles and Lauren James Ray.

New York City, 1923. An ageing Gibran narrates from his cold studio. Through poetry and music, he transports us back two decades and across continents, to turn-of-the-century Beirut. His 18-year-old self returns to The Middle East after five years living in America, to complete his education and discover more of his heritage. He falls deeply in love with Selma Karamy, the daughter of family friend and hugely respected local businessman, Farris Karamy. However, Selma soon becomes betrothed to Mansour Bey Galib, nephew of the powerful Bishop Bulos Galib, who has his eye on the Karamy family fortune. Gibran and Selma fight to reconcile their love for one another, whilst navigating the rules, traditions and expectations that society lays on them.

Writer Kahlil Gibran, whose seminal work The Prophet was an international best-seller, remains the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Laozi. What inspired him to write? And what moved him to such profound philosophy in his later life? The events in Broken Wings highlight key social issues of the time - the fight for gender equality, the freedom to love who we love, tradition versus modernity, wealth versus happiness, immigration and the importance of 'home' - yet these themes are increasingly relevant today, over a century later.

Broken Wings: The Original Concept Album is now available for download via all major online retailers including iTunes, AmazonMP3 and GooglePlay. Physical CD copies, complete with photos of the workshop and recording cast, as well as concept art by designer Claudio Rosas, can be ordered for worldwide delivery from http://brokenwings.auburnjam.co.uk.

Broken Wings will premiere as a semi-staged production with 9-piece orchestra, directed by Bronagh Lagan and produced by Ali Matar, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from August 1 - 4, where CDs will be available to purchase. Cast to be announced.

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