2023-09-01 17:31:00
The 18th edition of the meetings of the arts of the Arab world is being held from September 5 to 17 in Montpellier. Combining traditions and mergers, big names and discoveries, it promises to be particularly high!
“What is important is that people meet.” For seventeen years that Arabesques exists, its director Habid Dechraoui, has always insisted on the fact that it was regarding the meetings of the arts of the world. More than a festival, one would say, if the best festivals were not precisely more than that, more than themselves, but places as much as privileged moments of emotion and discovery, openness and sharing, celebration and enrichment…
By this yardstick, the 18th edition scheduled from September 5 to 17 in Montpellier, promises to be first rate. Meetings at the top, where the “crossings” desired by their director are played out at different levels: between audiences, between generations, between origins, between aesthetics…
“Go off the beaten track”
“There are a lot of new things in this edition,” says Habid Dechraoui. “We tried to get off the beaten track a bit. Hey! After seventeen years of existence, it’s not funny to renew ourselves a little! To surprise our audience but also to try to go look for a new one.” Without however breaking with traditions, whether in their artistic expression or the composition of the program.
Thus, it is always with great concerts at the Opéra-Comédie that Arabesques will open: on September 5, the elegant Moroccan singer Nabyla Maân will be associated with the Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez, while the next day, the remarkable Le Cri du Caire trio led by Egyptian Sufi singer Abdullah Miniawy will be reinforced by cornet player Médéric Collignon. On September 17, the closing will be equally prestigious since none other than the Trio Joubran will come to celebrate at the Amphithéâtre d’O, its twenty years of dazzling the oud. And between these Alexandrian headlights therefore, a lot of new lights.
“A lot of mergers”
Given its success last year, the Abaresques Sound System, the electro evening for students and/or clubbers at the Halle Tropisme, is doubled: September 7 and 14. At the Domaine d’O, where the much-appreciated “medina” (with its stalls, events… and pastries) has been redesigned this year, the two big weekends from Friday to Sunday are particularly rich and exciting. On September 8, the fascinating trumpet player Yazz Ahmed will perform at the start of the evening at the Jean-Claude Carrière theater before a striking co-set at the Amphi d’O bringing together the Egyptian-English diva Natacha Atlas and the hero of the contemporary gnawa music Majid Bekkas.
The next day, September 9, we will see at the theater Jean-Claude Carrière Asmâa & Bnat Timbouktou, delightful representatives of the feminine gnawa then Aziz Sahmaoui and Eric Longworth who bring the mandola and the cello into dialogue, and finally, at the amphitheater of O , a “carte blanche” project at the Essaouira Festival with a crossover aesthetic. “It’s true that there are a lot of fusions in this edition, but I believe that our public is ready for new experiences”, assures Habib Dechraoui who specifies that the proscenium will be down this year so that people can dance; which suggests that the bodies will also be in fusion!
Many opportunities to dance
On September 10, don’t miss the Carrière theater Hasna El Becharia, a huge Algerian heroine, pioneer of desert blues, as fierce on the guembri as on the electric guitar. Also unmissable, Do The Raï Thing at the Amphi d’O, a stage that will highlight the diversity of raï… and make grannies and kids dance. Finally, the first weekend will end with Le Comte de Bouderbala, a festival regular, and a funny one!
On September 15, the Carrière theater will resonate first with the hybrid, modern music, between soul and chaâbi by Djazia Satour, then the O amphitheater will host Sol Invictus, the choreographic show by Hervé Kouri for seventeen dancers from from all over the world (or almost, come on). The next day, September 16, in the same room, the Arabesques music talent is a set of emerging talents from the Arab world: Zar Electrik, Widad Mjama & Khalil Epi and the winner of the Palestine Connect project. Finally, Saturday evening promises to experience a strong surge of fever at the Amphi d’O with the ultra-festive Algerian group Gnawa Diffusion. “Yes, this year, we’re really going to dance a lot at Arabesques!”, smiles Habid Dechraoui.
It will nevertheless be necessary to save a little energy for the last day, September 17, with Ne me liberez pas, je m’en charge!, the long-awaited musical comedy from Cabaret sauvage, and as said above the birthday of the brilliant siblings of oud players. “We can’t predict the public’s response,” concludes the festival director, “but I think it’s going to be a great edition.” And certainly great encounters!
A tribute to Wahid
The arrival of Wahid Bouzidi, initially scheduled for September 17, should have been one of the comic events of this 18th edition. The Count of Bouderbala had thought of integrating him into the carte blanche offered to him this year, but the festival, which hoped to invite the comedian from the first promotion of the Jamel Comedy Club for a long time, following having made contact with him, had preferred to offer him an evening for him alone; which Wahid said he was delighted, he who since January had been playing a new show evoking his many health concerns. The ace ! On August 16, in Marrakech, he suffered a stroke, the fourth, which killed him four days later. The Count of Bouderbala who was very close to him, will pay homage to him during his evening of September 10.
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