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Weekly highlights

Final preparations for the sacred music festival

T HE flagship event of the spi- Artists from Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, India, Spain, Egypt, Italy, France, and Morocco will set the Bab El Makina stage alight for the 27th edi-tion
of the Festival of Sacred Music. Festival-goers will discover an exceptional program for the occasion (Ph. YSA)
ritual capital is already cele-
This year’s festival also features ma-
brating its 27th edition. From
May 24 to June 1, 2024, the Fez Festi- jor artists including Sami Yusuf and
val of World Sacred Music (FFMSM) Vicente Amigo. Presented by Time
will welcome over 200 artists from Magazine as “the greatest musical
18 countries, including France. It star of the Mus-lim world”, the for-
will be an opportunity to celebrate mer is expected to perform a memo-
the peaceful coexistence of the three rable concert on Satur-day, May 25,
mono-theistic religions through a rich 2024. Sami Yusuf is considered one
and varied program. Initiated under of the most influential musi-cians of
the patron-age of His Majesty the our time in the World Music category.
King, the new edition will feature Prolific guitarist Vicente Amigo will
Spain as a country. In the meantime, be making his second appearance at
preparations are continuing at the Bab inaugurated every year in the pres- la cinquième corde” (Zyriab or the the Fez Festival. The artist will give
El Makina square and the Jnan Sbil ence of HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa. fifth string). The show, which usually a memorable concert where flamen-
garden, which will host the various As such, it is the only national festi- lasts an hour and a half, will highlight co, as well as Andalusi and Spanish
concerts. Of particular interest is the val to welcome such a high-profile the Place Moulay El Hassan using culture and art will be majestically
show-creation on Friday, May 24, figure for its official inauguration. mapping techniques and offer a jour- highlighted.o
2024. As a reminder, this festival is The national and international elite ney to the sources of inspira-tion of Youness SAAD ALAMI
also respond to the organizers’ invi- Andalusian music, between sky and
Gospel music too tation, as do the sponsors and other earth, mountains, and palaces. The A fun race
in-stitutional supporters. For its 2024
fresco will revisit Arab music when
edition, the festival’s theme is “The it became Andalusian, and will inhe-
THIS year’s closing show will Quest for the Spirit of Al An-dalus”, rit the teachings of ancient philoso-
be grandiose. Gospel will be on the period of peaceful cohabitation of phers such as Al Firdûsî and Al Kindi, AFTER 4 years of suspension,
display from June 1, 2024, with the religions of the Book in An-dalu- themselves inspired by the thought of due to Covid, the Fès-Saïss Asso-
Kim Burrell for “a world pre- sia from the 8th to the 15th century, a Pythagoras and Plato. “Their vision ciation reiterates the successful
miere in Fez”, say the organiz- “Golden Age” whose spirit lives on in of the cosmos and of the planets in experience of a race to the rhythm
ers. For this unique project in the Fez. “The FFMSM is intended to be relation to music is akin to that of the of sacred music and thus hosts the
world of gospel, more than fifty a special occasion to celebrate this ca- desert poet, who contemplated the 8th edition of the foot race on the
artists will perform an excep- pacity for ‘living together’, dialogue, immensity of the starry sky”, explai- occasion of the 27th anniversary
tional and spellbinding creation and tolerance, promoted at the highest ned Alain Weber, Artistic Director of of the Sacred Music Festival. The
based around gospel music, with level by the Kingdom”, said Abderra- the festival. A poet, singer, and musi- event is scheduled for Sunday,
diva Kim Burrell, famous in the fia Zouitene, President of the Esprit cian of Kurdish origin, Abu Al-Has- May 26, 2024 at 9 a.m., and will
USA for having sung with Mariah de Fès Foundation, who adds that san Ali Ibn Nâfi, known as “Zyriab” be attended by world track-and-
Carey, Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, “Spain is in the limelight for this 27th (“the bird or the blackbird”), the field champions Nawal El Mou-
and Pharrell Williams, among edition, whose program will illus- flamboyant prince of this great An- tawakel and Soufiane El Bekkali.
others. Designed and directed by trate the historic and perennial links dalusian epic, takes us through skies For Hassan Slighoua, president of
conductor Pascal Horecka, this that bind the Peninsula and Morocco and mountains, to the Umayyad court the association, the aim is to gather
unique project offers a univer- through performances and fusions of of Amir ‘Abd al-Rahman II of Cor- around 3,000 participants for this
sal gospel, fusing the world of artists from both countries”. doba in a show featuring artists from 10-kilometer family race, which
Western classical music with the On the program side, the spiritual Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, India, Spain, is primarily aimed at promoting
voices of sacred, black, and inspi- capital’s flagship event will open Egypt, Italy, Armenia, France, and tourism in the city of Fez and its
red America. o with a crea-tion entitled “Zyriab ou Morocco. magnificent Medina. o

Friday 24 May 2024