Reclusive Lebanese legend Fairouz makes rare public appearance with children

Lebanese singer and musical icon Fairouz made a rare public outing with her three surviving children on Tuesday.

The 87-year-old singer attended an annual mass in remembrance of her once husband and father of her children, composer Assi Rahbani, with her sons Hali and Ziad and daughter Reema.

Hali Rahbani, who has mental and physical disabilities, is rarely seen in public.

"He does not talk, does not hear, does not walk," Reema said of Hali in a Facebook post with photos from the outing shared Wednesday.

Like his father, Ziad Rahbani is a famous composer.

Assi Rahbani died in 1986 aged 63, after spending several weeks in a coma. He had suffered from ill health for much of his later life. He and Fairouz separated a few years before his death.

Fairouz and Assi Rahbani's older daughter, Layal, died young after suffering from a stroke.

Fairouz is among the Arab world's most well-known and respected singers of all time.

She is elusive, rarely conducting interviews or making public appearances.

Images of Fairouz meeting French president Emmanuel Macron when he visited Lebanon in 2020 also went viral.