Theatre was the training ground of Somali music. A voice between romance and reflectionAssessing the space Cigaal occupied in Somali music requires a distinction: his voice sat at the meeting point of romantic feeling and philosophical weight. This is a pattern worth stating plainly: the generation that built modern Somali music is in its final years. A legacy beyond fifty yearsAhmed Ali Cigaal leaves behind an artistic legacy spanning more than 50 years, combining songs, stage performances and compositions that shaped several generations of listeners. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced, in keeping with the practice of the Somali community in Minnesota, one of the largest Somali populations in the United States.