Musician who composed the first Operetta in the Arabic language. He wrote "Shamshoon and Delilah," one of the first Egyptian operas.
He began taking piano classes when he was seven years old. He studied with composer Mohammed Sahabaari.
He emulated the singing style of Mohammed Uthman so well that he was hired to record the singer's works in 1932.
He was born into a Karaite Jewish family. His mother was of Bedouin origin. His father worked as a jeweler.
He became a prominent composer about a half-century after Austrian legend Richard Wagner.
