Dijon Opera Choir

As part of the Festival Les Nuits d’Orients

After discovering the love poems and praises of the Mouachah, Anass Ismat leads the Dijon Opera Choir in a new poetic exploration, in which converge the two rivers of Eastern melody and Western polyphony.

The extreme vocal and instrumental refinement of the Arabo-Andalusian heritage, already showcased in last season’s Nuits d’Orient with the Mouachah concert, is again the object of another exceptional evening.  Symbol of syncretism, the reciprocal tolerance of cultures and cross-fertilisation of traditions, medieval El-Andalus is a trove of humanist and spiritual treasures. The gems of this repertoire, as well as its modern musical expressions, are explored by the soprano Hasnaa Bennani, accompanied by the Dijon Opera Choir under the direction of Anass Ismat. To the bewitching sounds of the qanoun (table zither), the nay (reed flute), the oud (lute) and virtuoso percussion, is added the exhilarating accents of Zourouni, song in which the great Lebanese artist Fayrouz evoked the trepidations of unrequited love, or the melopoeia of Sabah Fakhri, who passed away in 2021, and whose name symbolises the richness of Arab song and the traditional Syrian repertoire.

Musical director Anass Ismat
Dijon Opera Choir
Soprano Hasnaa Bennani
Violin Marwan Fakir
Qanoun Mohammed Rochdi M’farredj
Nay Badr El Yatribi
Oud Youssef Kassimi Jamal
Percussion Monsif Ihsane

^{Photo © Mirco Magliocca}

Au-delà de son engagement en faveur des droits culturels, le Festival Les Nuits d’Orient, porté par la Ville de Dijon, propose au public de partir à la découverte de ce qui unit l’Orient et l’Occident, à la recherche d’héritages partagés, et défend le respect, la tolérance et le métissage.