Summer music festivals in Lebanon, which usually attract visitors in their thousands, are back this year after being silenced by war and political instability, organizers announced on Thursday.

"What we are seeing today is an expression of the true face of Lebanon after this difficult period and after the dark cloud has passed," Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis said at a press conference unveiling plans for the Beiteddine Festival, one of the most prestigious.

"Today we are facing a new future for Lebanon... and a promising summer that expresses our love of culture and our love of life."

Several festivals were forced to cancel in 2006 because of the devastating July-August war between Israel and Hezbollah and again in 2007 over the protracted political crisis and a deadly standoff between the army and militiamen in a Palestinian refugee camp.

"The Beiteddine Festival has been held for more than 26 years," festival committee vice president Wafa Saab said. "In that time, we have only had to cancel the last two years though there have been times in the past that we had to cancel particular shows but not the festival as a whole."

Other music extravaganzas are also set to return this year, including the Baalbek festival which is held in the shadows of the ruins of an ancient Roman temple near the border with Syria, according to one of the organizers.

The Beiteddine shows run from July 11 to August 12 in a palatial 19th century residence in the Shouf mountains southeast of Beirut, an area of green hills and traditional villages that is a popular tourist attraction.

Among those set to take the stage are Brazilian singer and culture minister Gilberto Gil, as well as Iraqi, Lebanese and Moroccan musicians. In previous years, Beiteddine has hosted the likes of Elton John, opera singer Andrea Bocelli and tenor Placido Domingo.

Beiteddine and Baalbek organizers are also co-sponsoring a concert by Lebanese-born pop sensation Mika in Beirut on July 27.

-AFP/NOW Staff