From Thursday 29 April to Saturday 1 May Essaouira hosts this annual spring festival of classical music. The concerts will take place at Dar Souiri, the Alliance Francaise and in a concert tent at Bab Manzah.
Highlights will include a performance of Carmina Burana; songs from Falla, Bizet and Debussy, and an operatic evening including arias from operas by Mozart, Donizetti and Offenbach. Read more.
Just back from Essaouira where we enjoyed the Festival des Andalousies Atlantiques – a genuinely multicultural event which brought together people of all religions to celebrate Andalusian classical music – from which developed Flamenco and other more familiar styles. In its heyday (the Middle Ages) the Andalusian culture extended from Spain to Morocco and other parts of North Africa, and after the Muslims and Jews were expelled from Spain in the 15th century – many of them fleeing to Morocco - the diaspora has kept it alive.
Andre Azoulay, one of the most high-profile Jews in the Arab world – who was born in Essaouira and is an advisor to the Moroccan king – is a driving force of the festival. He told Associated French Press: “The music you hear is a reality in the hearts and minds of millions Moroccans, both Jews and Muslims. But today when you talk about Jews and Muslims, the subject is … rarely something that brings us together. That is why this festival is so dear to me.”
This year’s Gnaoua Festival will take place in Essaouira from 25 to 28 June. Headline acts include the legendary Frank Vaillant, Jaleel Shaw, Andy Narell, 3MA, Justin Adams, KyMani Marley, Kif Samba, Ganga Vibes and Jbara. For more details visit www.festival-gnaoua.net.
To listen to artists playing at last year’s event visit www.last.fm/listen/event/568749.