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Fez – Princess Lalla Hasnaa chaired onFriday evening the opening ceremony of the 27th edition of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music in Fes, which runs from May 24 until June 01.
The 10-day festival, held under the auspices of u King Mohammed VI, is themed “The Quest for the Al-Andalus Spirit” as a way of celebrating Morocco’s historic links with Spain – this year’s guest-of-honor.
Princess Lalla Hasnaa and attendees were treated to a multisensory experience for the festival’s opening performance by Alain Weber.
Titled “Zyriab or the Fifth String,” the sumptuous opening performance was a collaborative act featuring various international and local artists bringing music from the heart of Andalusia and beyond.
Opening words of the festival
Veteran Moroccan thespian Rabie Katti took to the stage, cutting a commanding figure in a black and gold caftan, narrating a journey as the audience is brought through different regions in Asia, Europe and Africa, blending musical traditions from each, Spanish choral songs with Moroccan handrums, oud with Indian percussion.
Artists from Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, India, Spain, Egypt, Italy, Armenia, France, and Morocco transported the audience through time and diverse landscapes, culminating in the Umayyad court of Emir Abd Al-Rahman II of Cordoba.
The stellar cast included lineup renowned names representing diverse traditions and cultures, including Rabie Katti, Sanaa Marahati, Smadj, Loup Barrow, Juan Carmona quartet, and the all-women choir Madalena.
Read also: 27th Fez World Sacred Music Festival Opens in Style
The performance drew inspiration from Arab-Andalusian music, influenced by ancient philosophers like Al-Firdusi and Al-Kindi, who were in turn inspired by the teachings of Pythagoras and Plato.
It paid special homage to the legacy of Abou Al-Hassan Ali Ibn Nafi, known as “Zyriab,” a Kurdish poet, singer, and musician.
As evening sun cast its dying light on Bab Makina (Makina Gate), scenographic lights turned the gate’s stone walls into a vibrant rendition of swirling landscapes and traditional art.
Performance of Ahouach
Attendees and performers alike seemed to have been mesmerized by the divine performance as the stage lights dimmed and an eerie, spiritual silence descended on the heavenly garden the Bab Makina stage appeared to have turned into after the festival’s magical opening.
“I am very honored and happy this evening to be in this amazing venue under the direction of the incredible Alain Weber. Working with him was really fun as we worked on the soul of the performance,” Rabie Katti told the press at the end of the opening ceremony.
“We are also honored by the presence of Princess Lalla Hasnaa, who watched our performance. I am very happy to have played the lead role of Ziryab, who lived in Andalusia; it was truly an honor.”
Following the performance, Princess Lalla Hasnaa presented the “Young Talent-Spirit of Fes Award” to winners from the Fes Music Conservatory, in collaboration with the “Spirit of Fes” Foundation. The violin and Qanoun awards were given to young Fassi musicians Khadija Amiri, Omar Benhayoun Sadafi, Yassir Tajmouati, and Meryem Chekrada.
