Sacred music to unite Spain and Morocco

Since 2019, the annual cultural event, Bridging ties between Morocco and Spain. It is known as the Spirit of Fes, as it is the city of the Alaouite kingdom, where it is celebrated every spring. Now, after overcoming the toughest times of the pandemic, this spirit is returning with renewed vigor. Moreover, it was presented for the first time in Madrid. The starting signal of all previous versions was in Barcelona, ​​the city most connected with the organizations that are part of the organization. Thus, the launch party took place in Puerta del Hierro, in the courtyard of the residence of the Moroccan Ambassador to Spain Karima Benyaich.

Sacred Music Festival is one of the artistic events of the year in Morocco. This has been the case since 1994, when it was founded by Mohammed Kabbaj i Faouzi Skali, whose aim was to bring together a representative sample of the so-called “sacred music of the world”. people from different parts of the worldespecially if they have some sort of historical ties to Morocco.

Paco de Lucia

There is always a big Spanish expedition at the Sacred Music Festival. The first swords of our country’s folklore passed through the stages of Fez. Paco de Lucia, Jose Merce, Jordi Savall, small tomato anyone Carlos Nuñez There were some of the artists who represented us at the event. Also, other names of international importance, e.g. björk anyone Patty Smith.

This time, the event, which will be held in Fez between 9-12 June, will this time feature a Spanish band that does not deal with music. about ReverseA Barcelona vertical dance company that will take part in the opening ceremony in the Bab El Makina residential area, the center stage of the four activated.

The program of this edition will highlight the presence of artist companies from more than 15 countries and highlight musicians from different countries. Oman, Kazakhistan, India, France, Italy, Senegal anyone Tibet. And this year’s theme will be architecture. Because although it is a music festival, it turns into a monograph of a common element among the participating countries every year.

The hero of the last raid in 2019 was water. This time it’s the buildings. The city of Fez is something with obvious local connotations, as it has the largest and oldest medina in the world, making it one of the city’s main tourist attractions.

“From the Gothic cathedral to the Hebrew synagogue, from the immaculate marble of Mongolian India zeliller Clay from Moroccan imperial mosques. This time, we will examine how people of all religions express their search for the sacred through architecture. “The discovery of some of the most emblematic religious structures in the world will take us into this long and rich dialogue between human and divine,” they say.

Atlético Madrid

The presentation ceremony, which took place on 19 May, was attended by personalities such as the minister Ana Pastor or Atletico de Madrid president Enrique Cerezo. The festival president joked with him, Abderrafia ZouiteneHe told the audience an anecdote with his son: “I was having dinner with Florentino Pérez one day and I called my son, who is a big football fan, to talk to him. When I told him, he refused, saying he was an Atlético de Madrid fan,” he said.

During the presentation of the festival at the house of the Moroccan ambassador, there was a performance by the singer born in Cádiz. Jesus Mendez and a flamenco group sharing the stage and songs with a Moroccan folk singer Marouane; an artist who was born and raised precisely in Fez.

They highlighted the challenges of the cultural panorama from the organization in times of pandemic. Situations that even cause fear for the continuation of the event. However, after the toughest restrictions were overcome, Morocco opted for continuity. They say he came to strengthen the emotional bonds between Spain and our neighbors to the south.

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