What next for the traditional Moroccan house?

Future architects from Britain and Morocco converged on Fez yesterday for a cultural exchange with a difference. The 16 students from Manchester University were keen to hear from their counterparts at the l’Ecole Nationale d’Architecture Fes about traditional courtyard housing.

Architecture students from Manchester and Fez, with senior lecturer Dr Magda Sibley, third from left.

During the three hour seminar, held at the Arabic Language Institute Fes riad, the students and their lecturers had an animated discussion about the nature of courtyard housing in the Fes Medina.

“Courtyard houses are ideal for the climate and they are the backbone of the architectural heritage here in Fez,” said Shems Benyahia, director of the l’Ecole Nationale d’Architecture, Fes. (Below, standing.)

Dr Magda Sibley, Senior Lecturer in Architecture at Manchester University, said that the courtyard housing model was a versatile one. It enables families to mix together and individuals to overcome the sense of isolation prevalent in contemporary Western society.

“Although this can create problems with privacy”, she said.

The students formed into mixed groups to explore aspects of how this traditional Islamic style of house, originally based on an ancient Roman design, functions.

“In the past, courtyard houses protected women, who were considered a jewel,” said Ghislane Dhaidah, a third year architecture student from the ENA (below, right). “Now many families live that way because the cost of doing so is much cheaper.”

Several of the Moroccan students agreed that, while they enjoyed helping to rehabilitate houses with local artisans, they didn’t feel the communal lifestyle of the Fez Medina would suit them and preferred to live in the Ville Nouvelle.

Ms Benyahia said that for Fez locals, attachment to the Medina had changed with different generations. “My parents lived in the Medina and I often return to shop. Nowadays, the younger generation who live in the Ville Nouvelle don’t necessarily have that direct connection with it.”

Some of the British students felt that the lack of vehicle access in the Medina was a problem, “due to the increasing speed of the modern lifestyle”. This was disputed by Moroccan students, who pointed out that anywhere in the Fez Medina can easily be reached from the edges within about 15 minutes, by walking. In fact, one said, the lack of cars was one of the most desirable aspects of the Medina.

As an exercise, the Manchester students will design a project to rehabilitate a group of at risk houses in the Fez Medina.

“It’s about the problem of reconciling a more mobile population with an existing site,” said Dr Sibley. “How do you treat the gaps where houses have collapsed?”

Manchester student Rob Chilton asked the question on many peoples’ minds, “But what will the Medina be like in 50 years time?”

While it is impossible to more than guess the answer to this, the Manchester students plan to suggest possible solutions for adapting the courtyard house for the future. We’ll update you on the best of the proposals.

Story and photos by Suzanna Clarke.

SHARE THIS!

Out of the Ruins - The Rise and Rise of The Ruined Garden in Fez

The Ruined Garden café and restaurant in Fez is now open and in a very short space of time the beautiful garden setting has become a favourite haunt for locals and visitors alike.  During the recent Fes Festival they were providing fine food, refreshing drinks and an air of tranquility for up to 90 visitors a day. The View from Fez caught up with the force behind the venture, the affable renaissance man, Robert Johnstone.

Back in September 2010 when Robert Johnstone first saw the space beside Riad Idrissy it was not a pretty sight. In his words, what he saw was "a rubbish dump". Yet, with remarkable foresight, he and his business partner, John Twomey, knew there was something to be uncovered.

"As soon as I saw it cleared," Robert recalls, "I could see the bones of the place. There were 12 broken columns, so we bought 12 big pots to put on them to give a sense of formality."

Formality it might have had, but Robert and John still had no clear vision of what the ruin might become. "Originally John and I didn’t have the idea to make a restaurant; only to offer private dining. The idea was to make the space as beautiful as possible".

The Ruined Garden project brought together all Robert's skills.

"I had always been a gardener, and I trained as a designer at Manchester Metropolitan University doing a degree in 3D design. When I finished my studies, I was given funding by the Craft Council to set up in business in Manchester. I did that for four years, making table top sculptures in resin. During that time I also worked at a French restaurant called Beaujolais. I was the greedy waiter. One day a chef was ill and they asked me to step in, because I was the one who had the most interest in the plates. It was a natural progression because my mother was a chef, so good food and dining was something we always did as a family".

After chefing in Manchester, Robert decided he needed some “front of house” polish, so he moved to London and started working at J.Sheekey – a fish restaurant owned by the owners of The Ivy. When the business was sold and the owners opened The Wolseley  a café-restaurant in the grand European tradition, located in London's Piccadilly, Robert became the Reservations Manager.

 “I wasn’t running things. There were 140 staff and I was the man who said 'yes', or 'no' - very politely.” He worked there for seven years.

Mike Richardson and Robert met as students in Manchester, and have remained friends. And it was at The Ivy  that he and Mike became friends with a regular client,  John Twomey, owner of the popular Ten Bells pub in Spitalfields. This was the point at which all the cast in the drama came together. Richardson would leave to start the now famous Café Clock in Fez and Twomey and Johnstone set out to purchase and develop Riad Idrissy.

When Robert started work on The Ruined Garden he was confronted with a number of challenges, not all of them bureaucratic. On the horticultural front the immediate questions were: how do you get soil here? How do you find a plant that will do well here?

It took a while to visualize the garden. "Garden centres here in Fez are supplied by garden centres in Rabat, so there is only a narrow palate. So I grew a lot from seed; lovage, rue, tomatoes", Robert says. "We are on the edge of hardiness for what I want to grow and the thing that’s different about this climate is that it feels like Spring, but it takes a long while for the nights to warm up".

Najia Elamrani in the outdoor kitchen

The secret treasure behind the cuisine on offer at the Ruined Garden is Najia Elamrani.  Once she was the housekeeper for the riad's former owners but now she works with Robert creating the dishes for the restaurant. "Although most Moroccan women can cook, we are very lucky to find someone who was prepared to be innovative," Robert says. "We have a good relationship. She will make something and ask me, is this good? What should we change?"

Once the garden began to take shape, Robert started running private dinners, but as he explains, "I always wanted to do a café that served Moroccan street food. We’ve adapted that, such as with the “popcorn macoudas”.

“popcorn macoudas”

There is no cultural preciousness about the food, Robert says. "For example our salada tafya - caramelized onion, apricot, cinnamon and chickpeas - we serve as a starter or with the lamb mechoui."

And then there is the Ruined Garden's extraordinary refreshing take on the bagel -  svenge with smoked salmon and an egg. "I always wanted a smoker, and when we were developing the chimney it seemed like a good opportunity to make one. I noticed (at the place that made the svenge) that sometimes people asked for them to be half-cooked, and wanted to know why. It’s because they take them home and put an egg in them. I  always liked the idea of salmon, carbohydrate, eggs and things".

1,900 year old recipe - Chicken Volubilis - with fresh figs and Moroccan salads

Super-tasty sardines and Moroccan salads

But is it "Moroccan food"? Robert is quick to respond, "We are offering Modern Moroccan food – same ingredients, different treatment".

As the popularity of The Ruined Garden grew, so did the need to have an outdoor kitchen. During the last Fes Festival they opened the 50 seat capacity restaurant and gave the new kitchen a test run. It worked superbly. "It’s been really nice since we’ve opened the restaurant. People staying in the riad want to be in this space. I don’t guide people in any way, but people tend to come down to where there’s a bit of life".

There are also a number of discrete spaces in the garden where those wanting privacy for intimate conversation can relax amidst the beautiful surroundings. Apart from the occasional strolling oud player there is (thankfully) no background music being played.

Just the place for an intimate conversation

 "The Festival was great and the Nights in the Medina were extraordinary. It was as though people were sucked in". But Robert is quick to point out that "that’s only three days a year it will ever be like that. So anything we have ever learned will have been forgotten by next year".

The View from Fez does not believe that for a moment!

Details: 
Open to the public every day except Wednesday from 12 PM to 9.30 PM.
Closed during August.
More info: 
The Ruined Garden
Riad Idrissy 

Text: Sandy McCutcheon
Photographs: Suzanna Clarke

SHARE THIS!

Fez Celebrates Barcelona's Win

A visitor to the Fez Medina may well have wondered why the streets were so quiet on Saturday night. They may have also wondered at the sudden eruptions of noise from the cafes. The answer is simple. Barcelona were playing Manchester United and in cafes and small shops, the televisions are blaring out the commentary.

A majority of football fans in the Medina support Barca. In fact, although there is little graffiti on the Medina walls, it would be fair to say that 90% of it relates to the Barcelona Football Club. All that is clear. What is not so easy to understand is why that should be the case. There are many clubs worthy of support and, given the history with the French, why not support Olympique Lyonnais or Paris Saint Germain? Then again, if you want to follow a Spanish club, then why not Real Madrid?

The problem here is that when you ask a Fassi why they support Barca, the answer is always “because they’re the best”. End of story. And, last night, they were proved right at Wembley, the home of English football, where Barcelona confirmed they are the kings of Europe with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final.

Goals from Pedro Rodriguez, Lionel Messi and David Villa, with Wayne Rooney briefly giving United hope by equalising before half-time, underlined the Catalans’ credentials to be considered the greatest club side of all time.

The scoreline was an accurate reflection of Barcelona’s superiority as they claimed their fourth European Cup – the last two from finals against United – at the ground where they first lifted the premier prize in European football 19 years ago.

It was a great night for Barcelona and for Barca fans in Fez.

Courtyards of Fez: Research Participants Needed

The riads and dars of the Fez Medina are significant architectural landmarks which contribute greatly to the character and identity of the historic city. Anyone who has restored one will be familiar with the immense amount of work and dedication needed. A new research project will delve into the restoration of traditional houses and how their owners live now. 

The restored courtyard of Dar Bensouda

When Nick Ormesher first visited Fez in October, as part of a group of architectural students from the University of Manchester, he was so intrigued that he decided to base his research project in the Medina. (See our story on that visit HERE.)

Nick will be returning from January 8 to 12 to do interviews with the owners of riads and dars. His research will look into "the restoration process, the lifestyle enabled by the courtyard house and the identity contained in these cultural landmarks".

"My background is in architectural theory, and in previous research projects I have explored the effects of preservation and restoration on representations of history," he says. "I find Fez a really interesting case study because, although it is a Unesco World Heritage site, a lot of effective work in preserving the heritage of the city is being done privately by people who may not have the same motivation as Unesco.

"I felt this research was, firstly, a good opportunity to explore the idea of heritage at a very personal level, through the home, which is something that really interests me. Secondly, I wanted to explore how the various backgrounds of those involved in the restoration of these houses might contribute to an overriding identity for the Medina."  

If you are an owner of a courtyard house in the Medina, and are interested in participating in the research into the restoration of these historic buildings from January 8 to 12 or by phone, please contact Nick Ormesher at the University of Manchester (UK) at ndormesher@gmail.co.uk or 07843 388879.

SHARE THIS!

Understanding Hammam Heritage

Hammam al Hussaynia - Cairo 2008 (Photo: Dr. Magda Sibley)

A lecture this Wednesday at 5 PM at the American Language Center will explore the architectural and cultural significance of the hammam

Hammams, or bath-houses are an important part of Moroccan culture; in common with other countries such as Turkey and those in the Middle East. They are not only a place where people can relax and socialise while getting clean, but also have architectural significance.

On Wednesday Dr Magda Sibley, from the Manchester Architecture Research Centre at The University Of Manchester, will deliver a lecture, Learning from the past, innovating for the future: Lessons of Sustainability from Courtyard Housing & Public Baths in North African and Middle Eastern Heritage Cities.

Dr Sibley has been researching hammams and courtyard housing in the heritage cities of North Africa and the Middle East from 2007 and 2012, and has written books and lectured widely about them. Her research examines how these two types of buildings, inherited from Roman times, have contributed to cultural, social and environmental urban sustainability and how they can be of benefit in the future.

She teaches architecture and urbanism and her approach aims to increase students' awareness of buildings as part of urban landscapes and contexts rather than single sculptural objects.

When: Wednesday March 27 at 5 PM
Where: American Language Center, Room 1, 2 Rue Ahmed Hiba

SHARE THIS!

Moroccan News Briefs #89

Moroccan dies while rescuing illegal migrants

Two people including a Moroccan rescuer died after a dinghy carrying illegal immigrants capsized in the Strait of Gibraltar, and two others remained missing Saturday, a maritime rescue spokesman told AFP. Spanish rescuers located three of the five migrants who were on board the dinghy, one of whom had died, about five nautical miles from Tanger, Morocco.

Photo Courtesy: Morocco World News

The two survivors were suffering from severe hypothermia and were taken to Tarifa in southern Spain, rescuers said, adding that the search continued for the missing.

A Moroccan ferry that travels between Tanger and Tarifa had initially spotted the migrants' boat and reported "that five people had fallen into the water," the spokesman said. A member of the ferry crew died in an apparent attempt to help the migrants.

Attempts by Africans to reach the Spanish coast on makeshift boats and illegally enter Europe happen frequently and have increased in the past few months. In October, at least 16 illegal migrants were found dead trying to reach Spain from Morocco.


Morocco aims to be among top 20 tourist destinations in the world

Analysts at the Oxford Business Group (OBG) recently released an analysis that Morocco is well positioned to "claim itself among the top 20 tourist destinations in the world." Given the track record of the Oxford Business Group, this is analysis that deserves some attention. The report states that the Kingdom "continues its efforts to achieve this goal despite the difficulties related to the impact of instability in the region and the current crisis in the Eurozone."

Among the arguments advanced by the OBG experts is the amount of investment in the sector which has reached 14 billion dirhams in 2012, 93% of the budget set by the kingdom under its Vision 2020. This equates to an average of 15 billion dirhams annually. Morocco, which aims under this program to increase the number of arrivals to 20 million by 2020 must take into account the distribution of tourist flows around the world that have changed a lot in recent years. Recent data compiled by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) over the last decade confirms that "new source markets occupy the first rows in the ranking of destinations" and that emerging economies have changed the tourism scene. This means that Morocco should expect increasingly fierce competition. New competitors have entered the lists in this race including Malaysia, Turkey and Hong Kong who have gained significant market share.


Local Emergence Plan Nets 100,000 Jobs Created in Three Years

Three years after its launch, the National Pact for Industrial Emergence (PNEI) has yielded tangible results-more than 100,000 jobs in six global business sectors (IT offshoring; automotive, aerospace, and electronics manufacturing; textile/leather design and production, and value-added food products) from 2009-2012.

According to a mid-term review released yesterday at the third edition of the National Conference of Industry, organized under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, the Emergence program has contributed to an increase in industrial GDP of more than $3 billion between 2008 and 2011, including an increase of more than 125 percent in the automotive sector exports and 60 percent of exports in the aerospace industry.

Emergence plan investments has led to the construction and equipping of more than 500 acres of industrial land per year compared to less than 100 acres annually prior to its implementation. Some 40,000 individuals have received training, which has enabled small and medium entreprises to improve their competitiveness, some firms in excess of 110 percent. These performance results have enabled Morocco to be named "African country of the future" for the year 2011-2012 by the Financial Times.


Morocco's third water bomber arrives after a long journey

Back in March 2011 Morocco ordered three more CL-415 water-bombers needed to control wildfires in the country. The first was delivered in February of the same year. The second aircraft was delivered quickly in May 2011 but the third seems to have suffered a lengthy delay. Having been painted and photographed at St. John's, Canada in June 2012, the aircraft only made it across the Atlantic this week. Routing via Goose Bay, Narsarsuaq and Keflavik, the high-visibility twin turboprop arrived at Manchester on 23rd February, prior to continuing South via Malaga to Morocco.

Manchester has been the preferred European stop-off location for the Canadian-built amphibians for many years, with the airport having a Bombardier service center on site. Morocco's fourth aircraft may be delivered this year, having been painted at Muskoka in December 2012.


Casablanca - a city with a health problem

The diagnosis - 2012
Sexually transmitted diseases 65,000
Diabetes 68,752
Hypertension 46,770,
Mental health problems 20,950
Malaria 96
Homelessness  3000
10,000 road accidents (300 deaths and 15,000 injured).

Casablanca needs an injection of good health

Youssef El Kaidi writing for Morocco World News reports that while Casablanca (population 3,500,000) is the biggest city in Morocco and the Maghreb region and the spinal cord of Moroccan economy; it is the city with the largest number of health problems. A recent report prepared by a delegation from the Ministry of Health points out that the high population density of the city makes it a very fertile place for the emergence and dissemination of many health problems caused by social phenomena.

In 2012, Casablanca recorded 65,000 cases of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), which makes 10 percent of these diseases at the national level.

The report, which was presented before the Casablanca prefecture Council, shows that 67 percent of people affected by these diseases are in the age range between 15 and 44 years. The report denounces the remarkable shortage in logistics (there is a glaring deficit of ambulances) and human resources.

Another problem highlighted by the report is that the medical infrastructure cannot meet all the needs in the city, a fact which is worsened by the lack of coordination between the different public hospitals and the central University Hospital.

The statistics revealed by the report clearly indicates the severity of the health situation in the city of Casablanca; a situation that all participants in the meeting of the Casablanca prefecture Council were asked to improve by all possible means.



European Investment Bank - "Cooperation with Morocco is bliss!"

Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Philippe de Fontaine Vive, speaking in Paris said that in 2012 Morocco benefited in 2012, " by a historically record amount" of funding and a new one billion euros is available to support the economic transformation of the Kingdom.

Philippe de Fontaine Vive - cooperation with Morocco is bliss

Philippe de Fontaine Vive went on to remark, "that 2012 was a record and exceptional" year of cooperation and that the, "European goal for 2013 is to do as well in 2012," He made the remarks during the annual review of the action of the EIB, which began in 2002, through the FEMIP (Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership), an instrument of expertise and funding for social and economic development of Mediterranean partner countries.

Morocco, he said, is the first recipient of this action and this new "unprecedented" commitment of nearly one billion euros of financing in 2012 shows "the strong commitment "of the EIB-FEMIP to support the transition to a new form of innovative and more inclusive growth in Morocco. It is this level of intervention that should guide us in 2013 to identify opportunities for growth points and additional job creation" in the Kingdom, he said. "We have extremely experienced and knowledgeable contacts in Morocco in the various centers of excellence, whether administrative, in offices, companies or banks, which facilitates dialogue, because we really are in integration technical, financial and economic Euro-Mediterranean and that is what makes cooperation extremely easy. It is bliss".

According to Philippe de Fontaine Vive, more than a dozen major projects were able to be funded in 2012, in areas as diverse as transport infrastructure (including the extension of rural roads), industry, agriculture, technological innovation, solar energy, education and health sectors, in addition to the actions taken in the renovation program medina (Fes, Meknes and Casablanca soon).

"The most emblematic project in the year 2012 has been the solar project in Ouarzazate," he said. This first major solar project in North Africa, was co-financed by the EIB-FEMIP, who as European leader mobilized 330 million for this project, including $100 million from the French Development Agency (AFD).

He noted the importance of this major project for its potential for energy production from renewable sources, with a potential capacity of 500 MW, the equivalent of powering a city of 250,000 inhabitants. Once fully completed, this complex will be one of the largest in the world.


Fez 18th edition of the Andalusian Music Festival wraps up

Organized by the City Council, the 18th edition of the Andalusian Music Festival took place in the old city of Fez from February 21 until March 2. Lovers and fans of Andalusian music, whether from Morocco or foreign countries, all gathered in this imperial city to celebrate this cultural heritage. Under the motto “Passion in the digital era,” this year’s objective, according to an organiser, was to promote this art among young people in order to make the festival a manifestation of heritage.

The one criticism was that very little advance publicity was available and certainly not in English. Several guesthouse owners complained that their guests would have enjoyed the music - if they had known about it. Future festivals would benefit to paying some attention to basic promotion and including material in the now important English language.


OPINION - Moroccan Cinema and Cultural Consumption

Khalid, writing for Morocco World News, has his say about cinema, culture, engagement and responsibility.

“Art does not reproduce what is visible; it makes things visible.” Paul Klee

In his outstanding article, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”, the German cultural critic Walter Benjamin made an anatomy of the essence of artistic works and revealed how they lose their aura and originality through reproduction. The machine of reproduction is targeting the virginity of art; voiding it of its essence and introducing it as a commodity for consumption.

The commercialization of art and the commodification of culture are the landmarks that are characterizing the modern and the post-modern age. The process of globalization aims to devour all local cultures, regardless of their own specificities, which generates a lopsided view of a unique culture.

Such theoretical background is necessary to pave the way to a serious discussion about a local issue, which is Moroccan cinema. This has known undeniable progress in quantity due to a well-framed policy of funding film production. However, is such policy successful and a genuine reflection of the expectations of Moroccans?

As a cinema freak and interested in film studies, I see that Moroccan cinema is still far away from addressing the real matters of Moroccan society. The produced films recently are no more than a reproduction and a commodification for marketing purposes. This is clearly notable in the major themes broached by film-makers.

The fashion now in Moroccan cinema is exaggerated nudity and vulgarity. It is a kind of revival of the Egyptian legacy and the pretended emblem that “people want this”. So, cinema should subdue to the market needs and the whims of its audience. However, is such a concept rational and right just because cinema is an industry that generates money and its ultimate goal is cultural consumerism?

Cinema, as a matter of fact, is a sublime art that aims to uplift the tastes of its viewers. It’s a tribune of creativity not a mere mimicry of reality. If we copy past reality pretending this is the practice of daily life and we have to be bold enough to display it as it is, where is creativity then which is the backbone of artistic works?

The Moroccan cinema, in the last decade, seems to go around a vicious circle of nudity and vulgarism unable to advance beyond such stigma and stereotyping. Such an approach has been the target of a bundle of criticism from many viewers and critics. The latter, express clearly that such portrayal of Morocco in this so-called Moroccan cinema is not a reflection of their expectations and hopes. They suggest, rather, that the budget spent on such films, which is public money, should be better spent targeting serious subjects and to give equal chance to other film-makers.

Nations all over the globe are proud of their historical backgrounds, and intellectuals and leaders who have done their best for them. They are grateful to them since they sacrificed themselves for their people and belonging. Hence, their local cinema serves as a platform to make such leaders known; they are role models and national icons that the coming generations should emulate. By the same token, is our Moroccan cinema offering that?

Moroccan leaders and intellectuals who have been inspiring many nations that are calling for independence and freedom are excluded and marginalized locally. Where are films about Abdlkrim Alkhattabi and Mouha Ou Hamou Zayani who have been real nationalists that fought colonialism and led Morocco to independence; what about politicians, activists and intellectuals whose traces are inevitable in modern Morocco. It is really a shame to read and hear about great Moroccans in Western media while in their native country they are “invisible’’.

Nation building is based on the collective memory that documents people’s history and roots since they are their symbolic legacy. Here comes the role of the national artistic works, namely cinema to celebrate the figures who shaped its glory. Moroccan people are now feed up with commercial cinema and waiting for a cinema of engagement and responsibility.


Sunday humour

Sidi Driss bought a brand new BMW Z4 convertible and drove it out of the salesroom. Taking off down the motorway, he floored it to 130 kph; enjoying the wind blowing through what little hair he had left.

“Amazing!” he thought as he flew down the Rabat Highway, enjoying pushing the pedal to the metal even more.

Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw a police car behind him, blue lights flashing and siren blaring.

“I can get away from him – no problem!” thought Sidi Driss as he floored it to 140kph, then 150 then 160.

Suddenly, he thought, “What on earth am I doing? I’m too old for this nonsense!”

So he pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the police car to catch up with him.

Pulling in behind him, the police officer walked up the driver’s side of the BMW, looked at his watch and said,

“Sir, my shift ends in 10 minutes. Today is Friday and I’m taking off for the weekend. If you can give me a reason why you were speeding that I’ve never heard before, I’ll let you go.”

Sidi Driss looked very seriously at the policeman and replied, “Years ago my wife ran off with a policeman. I thought you were bringing her back.”

“Have a good day, Sir”, said the policeman.


SHARE THIS!

Bjork - Biophilia @ The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music

The audience is packed in, Princess Lalla Salma has arrived and now it is time for Bjork at Bab Makina in Fes...

The lights fade up slowly and thirteen hooded, barefooted faeries come on stage, garbed in robes of shiny blue and bronze fabric. The first impression is of a slightly odd girl's choir.They begin a low chorus, building up to the moment we have all be waiting for – Bjork’s entrance.

Bjork comes on stage, the projection screen lights up and a solid bass rumble sends palpable vibrations through the audience.

Known for her quirky fashion and statement costumes, Bjork's appearance did not disappoint. An electric blue latex dress clung to her petite figure and was covered in three-dimensional fossil-like coils.

Bjork opened her mouth and the first taste of her extraordinary other-worldly voice caused goosebumps. The first song was Cosmogony, entirely appropriate for starting us on the Biophilia journey.

“Heaven. Heaven's bodies
Whirl around me. Make me wonder
And they say back then our universe was a coal black egg
Until the God inside burst out and from it's shattered shell
He made what became the world we know…”

However Bjork was intent on re-inventing the world we know. A masterful combination of video, lighting and voice created mesmerising soundscapes that pushed the limits of previous musical experience.

The second song Hunter, from her Homogenic album was a crowd pleaser – the audience roared when it recognized the opening bars and realised there was going to be a mix of both old and new material.

Despite having just recovered from a throat infection, Bjork does not hold back and what ensues is Bjork magic. There is no time wasted on chatting with the audience.A fade to black and then on with the next song.

At times her words are indistinguishable swamped by the massive electronic rumble. In other moment's Bjork's voice rings clear. "Have I too often craved miracles?" She trills the "r" in "miracle" for the longest time.

It is amazing what you can do with a few Ipads...

The projected images are intricate; time-lapse photography of mushrooms growing. A cell falling victim to a virus, hundreds of starfish and were they seas worms? At other times - the molten core of the earth, surging up, causing tectonic plates to buckle and shift. It is powerful stuff.

One of two large Tesla Coils discharging

There were no actual pyrotechnics, but the next best thing; inside two huge Faraday cages are Nikolai Tesla's famous Tesla Coils; discharging high voltage lightning bolts. The coils came to life in song number three – Thunderbolt – and the atmosphere was truly electric. Combined with a slow motion video of a lunar eclipse the effect was striking.

“All my body parts are one
As lightning hits my spine,
Sparkling
Prime runs through me,
Revive my wish
Inviolable.
May I, can I, or have I too often?
Craving miracles…”

And always this tsunami of sound produced by the two young men behind the electronic machinery. Bjork hops, skips, shakes her wrists and flexes her fingers as the music moves through her. It is an fascinating alchemy; the melding of faerie and machine.

After this Bjork made her first tentative contact with the audience, simply saying “merci bien” in her child-like voice, and then going straight into Hidden Place. The arresting video with this track was a fast motion film of starfish and writhing eels marching and slithering over coral, which built up to the creatures feeding from the carcass of a seal on the sea floor.

The next song Unravel was another crowd favourite and her singing “like a ball of yarn” was amusing when taken in context with the fantastic wig on her head – a bulbous confection of coloured threads and wool that framed her elfin face. Her dress caught and reflected the light, her tights glittered and she jumped and stomped on her platform boots, shaking her hands in a vibrant dance.

Another time-lapse video of mushrooms sprouting accompanied Isobel from her Post album – bringing shouts of “we love you Bjork!” from the crowd.

Mouth's Cradle and then Joga was next and CGI images of the earth moving and tectonic plates shifting and cracking perfectly matched the crashing electric howls, beats and groaning bass.

The end of the video swirled around an image of Bjork on top of a mountain, who then opened her insides and invited the viewer in to find a lonely island floating inside of her.

This image led perfectly into Hollow, which was accompanied by images of cells, veins and DNA.

“Hollow, my ancestors have access
Hollow, I'm falling down the abyss
Hollow, looking for some answers…”

In the song Hollow, Björk took inspiration from her "ancestors and DNA, that the grounds open below you and you can feel your mother and her mother, and her mother, and her mother, and her mother 30,000 years back. So suddenly you're this kinda tunnel, or trunk of DNA… All these ghosts come up so it ended up being a Halloween song and quite gothic in a way… It's like being part of this everlasting necklace when you're just a bead on a chain and you sort of want to belong and be a part of it and it's just like a miracle."

Virus followed and the hit Pagan Poetry, after which Bjork finally connected with the crowd, saying “Hello, how are you? You seem so far away. You should come closer. I only have a few songs left. You should think about it.”

Then Náttúra -  “this song is dedicated to a volcano in Iceland," Bjork announces. The volcano is Eyjafjallajökull. And in the manner of its namesake, all hell is let loose. This is the moment the concert erupts to another level. The thirteen backing faeries have tossed back their hoods and now appear less like faeries and more like bad pixie escapees from some Nordic summer camp.

The lyrics are as intriguing as Bjork herself and at times as mysterious. Dark Matter features heavy gibberish since the dark matter phenomena are directly "unexplainable". Virus is about "fatal relationships" such as the relationship between a virus and a cell.

The biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. Edward O. Wilson introduced and popularised the hypothesis in his book, Biophilia (1984). He defines biophilia as "the urge to affiliate with other forms of life".

"One day it will all make sense" - Bjork

The last song, Mutual Core, has the hooded dancers huddled in a circle and a film of the earth from space showing the fault lines splitting to reveal the earth’s core. The dancers slowly rise up with a harmonious howl and descend to the floor again before the stage went to black.

An extended ovation brought Bjork back out for a solo rendition of One Day: “One day it will happen, one day it will all make sense,” she sang and then encouraged the audience to whistle with her.

A rousing rendition of Declare Independence was the final number and Bjork’s powerful yells of “declare independence, don’t let them do that to you, raise the flag, higher, higher” finally provided the rebellious energy the audience needed to dance with great gusto in the aisles.

Overall the concert had the quality of a musical science lesson and an experimental journey of immersion into the cosmos and sound. The great poet Kabira wrote:

The well is one
Water bearers many
Each one's vessel is different
But the water is the same.


Bjork is bearer and her vessel is very different - but the water is the same.

SET LIST

Óskasteinn
Cosmogony
Hunter
Thunderbolt
Moon
Hidden Place
Crystalline
Unravel
Isobel
Mouth's Cradle
Jóga
Hollow
Virus
Pagan Poetry
Náttúra
Mutual Core
Encore:
One Day
Declare Independence 

AUDIENCE REACTION
Vanessa Bonnin was out and about taking the pulse of the audience.

Marcus Virta from Helsinki 

Expectation was high in the pre-concert crowd for Bjork tonight and there was an army of her fans who had come from far and wide. Marcus Virta from Helsinki was at the first Biophilia concert in Manchester and was wearing the t-shirt to prove it.

“I was coerced into going by my friend because I wasn’t a fan but after that concert I was converted,” he enthused.

Camelia El Hakem from Fes

Camelia El Hakem from Fes was working backstage and said that she’d seen Bjork who seemed “really simple and normal."

"I am a big fan, it was like a dream for me, I didn’t think I’d ever meet her!” she said.

There was a lot of interest in the stage set which had been shipped in and assembled overnight. Head of sound Eric Loots explained the odd-looking baskets hanging at either side of the stage.

“It’s a Tesla-coil inside a Faraday basket – its electrical and discharges a massive current which makes a brilliant sound and arcs of light. It’s linked to the keyboard player so he can vary the amount of current and change the sound. He also controls the three organs on the back of the stage,” he explained.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s going to be something completely different for the Festival, and also louder than we’re used to! Plus lots of low frequency bass, which will create vibrations, you should be able to feel it in the audience. I wonder if the suits in the front row will like it?!”

Rebel dancer, and Fes resident from England Gail Leonard said “I was just mesmerised and so excited! The most unachievable sounds were achieved, I was gobsmacked.”

Moroccan Marouane Belayachi said the concert was perfect.
“I thought it was great, we had a lot of fun and it was really spiritual.”

Fes resident from Australia Josephine Kwan said the combination of sounds from the instruments and Bjork’s voice was incredible.

“She has such individuality, I totally loved the whole experience. And the fact that she had saved her voice for Fes – we’re so glad you did! Thank you Bjork!”

As well as the usual sponsors in suits in the front section, Princess Salma was also in attendance.

The pre-concert announcement of a camera ban caused consternation in the crowd, who would have liked to be able to record their experience. It was explained that Bjork had requested no cameras, phones, video or “electronic beepy things” as she wanted the audience to enter completely into the experience and join her in her magical world.

The one negative in the night came after Bjork invited the audience to come forward. Unfortunately the overbearing security at Bab Al Makina did not get the message. Enthusiastic audience members, who had paid a premium ticket price, were roughly repelled by brutish guards who caused an unnecessary commotion and their behaviour was entirely contradictory to the spirit of the Festival.

With even the star performer complaining that the audience were too far away – and the overbearing security who were far more distracting and invasive than the presence of cameras would have ever been; there are issues to be addressed.

Some serious reconsideration needs to be given to the amount of premium space given to sponsors who are only there for show and don’t appreciate the music, to the detriment of serious fans who are denied the right to dance and enjoy the show. This, as we saw tonight, also affects the performer’s experience and Bjork’s disappointment with the restriction of the audience’s ability to interact with her was evident.


BIOPHILIA
Biophilia was Bjork's eighth album and was released released 10th of October 2011.

The album is "partly recorded" on an iPad and, as well as a standard CD release. Biophilia is the world's "first app album" in collaboration with Apple. Björk has described the project as a multimedia collection "encompassing music, apps, Internet, installations, and live shows". Material from the album debuted during a concert series which was held in the summer of 2011 at the Manchester International Festival.

Reporting: Sandy McCutcheon and Vanessa Bonnin


The View from Fez is an official Media Partner of the Fès Festival of World Sacred Music


SHARE THIS!

Mullah Nasruddin in Marrakech?

English Writer Mansoor Shah has struck a chord with his adaptation of the humorous folklore character Mullah Nasruddin to the modern day. Mansoor has teleported the Mullah from the Middle Ages into the hustle and bustle of modern-day Marrakech.

People tell his stories and antics with great affection and endearment across Asia including Arabs, Persians, Uzbeks, and the Turkic Xinjiang in China. Some of his stories are linked with Sufi traditions and philosophical approaches – and they almost always come with a sting in the tail.

Mansoor’s book takes Mullah Nasruddin on a comic journey to meet the residents of Marrakech, listen to their problems and give them his own special brand of advice. Accompanied by pictures of the inhabitants and tourists of Marrakech, the book of mini adventures is a modern-day Don Quixote.

Mansoor, 57, of Radcliffe, Manchester said: "I have long been intrigued by the story of Mullah Nasruddin. Marrakech is steeped in the history and traditions of Sufism and it seemed to me the perfect place to drop this 12th century character and see how his wisdom and blunt advice is received by people in the 21st century!"

The book is already being well received, with Rochdale Library ordering 12 advance copies after Mansoor gave a reading there recently.

Mansoor, an academic and management consultant, is a published author with two books of Sufi poetry to his name. His last collection, A Sheesha in Radcliffe, garnered widespread publicity after the King of Morocco requested a copy. He has also published A Window in Radcliffe, another book of Sufi verse.

Mansoor is planning a series of Mullah Nasruddin publications taking the Mullah character to cities such as London, Paris, Istanbul and Dubai.


For readers of The View from Fez who have not come across Mullah Nasruddin, here is a typical story...

Mullah Nasruddin, a small-town judge, was arbitrating over a case before him in his judicial court in which the prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand.

He approached her and asked, 'Mrs. Alishah, do you know me?'

She responded, 'Why, yes, I do know you, Br Jallaludin. I've known you since you were a boy, and frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains to realize you'll never amount to anything more than an insignificant paper pusher. Yes, I know you.'

The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, 'Mrs. Alishah, do you know the defense attorney?'

She again replied, 'Why yes, I do. I've known Br. Kamruddin since he was a youngster, too. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drug problem. He can't build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire town. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him.'

The defense attorney was aghast.

Judge Mullah Nasruddin asked both counselors to approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice, said, 'If either of you idiots asks her if she knows me, I'll have you both hung, drawn and quartered!'

A "Visionary" Lecture in Fez ~ Blindness & Dreams

BLINDNESS AND DREAMS ~ JOINT LECTURE BY MEGUMI MATSUBARA & KENNETH BROWN

What do you see when you close your eyes? How far can your eyes see? And what about when you dream?

The American Language Center & Arabic Language Institute in Fez is hosting a joint presentation by artist Megumi Matsubara and scholar Kenneth Brown, who will speak about their understanding of blindness and dreams. Sharing the itineraries of their practice and research in Morocco and within Islamic cultures, they will consider the relation between memory and internal vision. Drawing upon poetry, imagery and history, they will also touch upon the worlds of Taha Husayn, Najib Mahfouz, Jorge Luis Borges, Junichiro Tanizaki or Henry Corbin within such themes.

Megumi Matsubara

MEGUMI MATSUBARA is a Japanese artist whose practice spans from static
architecture to ephemeral situations, including installation, sound, photography and text.
She reconfigures existing environments and composes spatial narratives to question the
balance between presence and absence. Matsubara, originally from Tokyo, studied in
Tokyo and London, and has lived and worked between Fès and Tokyo since 2012. In
2015, she opened a year-long solo exhibition in Fès held in multiple places throughout
the year.

While she was a student at the University of Tokyo, Matsubara co-established the
interdisciplinary architecture firm Assistant with architect Hiroi Ariyama, of which she has
been director and founding member since 2002. She is a grant recipient of Agency for
Cultural Affairs Japan (2013-2014), Pola Art Foundation (2012-2013), Japan Foundation
(2009), Nomura Foundation (2008), among others, for her practices abroad, and two-year
winner of the Exploratory IT Human Resources Project Grant: MITOH Program (2002-
2004) for her socio-psychological project. Her work in Morocco includes four solo shows
in Marrakech and Fès: THE BLIND DREAM (Douiria Mouassine, 2014), WALK STRAIGHT
(Voice Gallery, 2014), RÊVEURS RÊVE RÊVES (La Maision de La Photographie de
Marrakech, 2012), UNE CHAMBRE ROUGE (Musée Batha, 6th Rencontres Internationales
de la Photographie de Fès, 2012), as well as VOID/BETWEEN (Theatre Royale, Marrakech
Biennale 4, 2012).

Kenneth Brown

KENNETH BROWN, originally from Los Angeles, lives in Marseille. He has been director
and founding editor of the biannual review Mediterraneans/Méditerranéennes since 1991.
Formerly professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester (U.K.), Fellow
of the Committee for the Comparative Study of New Nations, and Research Associate in
the Middle East Center and the Department of History, University of Chicago, visiting
professor in Paris at the C.N.R.S and E.H.E.S.S., at the Universities of California,
Berkeley, Utah, and Arizona, as well as Fulbright Professor at the University of Dakar,
Senegal. He studied at the University of Chicago and completed his Ph.D. in Islamic
Studies at U.C.L.A in 1969.

He has carried out extensive research in the Maghreb—in the city of Salé and in the
Berber-speaking area of the Souss in Morocco, and in the town of Ksibet El Mediouni in
Tunisia, as well as in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He is the author of
over fifty articles and several books, including “People of Salé: The Social History of a
Moroccan City (1830-1930),” Harvard University Press (Cambridge, Mass. 1976; French
version, “Les Gens de Salé,” EDDIF, Casablanca 2001), “Journey Through a Labyrinthe:
Israel-Palestine,” a photographic essay with Jean Mohr (U. of Penn Press, 1981) and the
SHUR Report for the E.U. on human rights in Israel and the OPT (Paris 2008). His latest
book, as editor, is “L’Iraq de la crise au chaos: Chroniques d’une invasion,” IBIS (Paris
2004).

DETAILS
Date: Saturday, 28 Feb, 2015
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 PM
Location: Auditorium of the American Language Center Annex, 22 Rue Mohammed Diouri, Fes Ville Nouvelle
Admission: Free
Language: English (with a summary in Arabic as needed)
Hosted by: American Language Center & Arabic Language Institute in Fez

SHARE THIS!

Gypsy Sacred Songs In Provence ~ "Hot, Sexy and Spectacular"

Powerful voices, energetic hand slapping and explosive foot stomping was the hallmark of the spellbinding group, the Sacred Gypsy Songs of Provence at Musee Batha today

A single clap and the five singers and musicians took the stage and belted out songs for a 90 minute energetic performance.

The gypsy song of Provence hinges on the Catalan, Spanish and Ladino languages. It is simple, uncluttered and inspired by the little-known gypsy traditions of the 15th Century.

Tchoune Tchanelas

The powerhouse behind this group is Tchoune Tchanelas, a gypsy singer, and with Gil Aniorte-Pez the two have produced an unusual repertoire which combines sacred songs dedicated to Sarah the patron saint of gypsy's and  music of the gypsy tradition of Provence and Andalusia as well as traditional, popular songs from southern France.

Gypsies or 'gitan' play a large part in Provençal life through their music and dance. The group is a formidable union of talent and their performance was full of power and passion. Tchanelas sings with drama and an intensity that grabbed the attention of the audience. But he' is by no means the only powerful voice in the group, the two other singers had their own formidable voices.

Gil Aniorte-Pez and Gregory Duveau

During the concert, the group was joined by a young gypsy dancer. Florencia Deleria is considered THE revelation of her generation in the Gypsy community. Dressed in a striking red dress, the gypsy dancer raised one arm, kicked back her left leg and exploded onto the stage in a Flamenco style dance. Her fiery feet movements and the frenetic hand clapping of the group triggered a powerful energy in the Musee Batha.

Florencia Deleria

It was a spellbinding and rich performance with the melee of music bringing the crowd to its feet.

The group has played 200 concerts but manager Philippe Thevenet told The View from Fez today's performance "is the highlight of four years together, to be here at Fez, an international festival with such a high reputation. It is an honour."

AUDIENCE REACTION

"The dancer was captivating. I couldn't take my eyes off her." Cynthia, Canada

"Such good energy. That was an amazing performance." Jean, Paris

'Hot, sexy and spectacular." Sue, Fez

"I've never seen anything like that. They had extraordinary range in their voices and I loved how they play their guitars. I really enjoyed myself." Maria, Manchester

Text: Stephanie Kennedy
Photographs: Vanessa Bonnin

Fes Festival ~  Saturday June 21

Jnan Sbil Garden 4pm: Ihsan Rmiki

Batha Museum 4pm: Mint Ely Warakane & Raza Khan

Bab Boujloud Square 6.30pm: Kadim Al Sahir

Bab al Makina 9pm: Buddy Guy

Sufi Night at Dar Tazi 11pm: Hamadsha of Fez

Weather: Much cooler - Max 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit) 

Fez Medina Map

The View from Fez is an official media partner of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music

 SHARE THIS!

EasyJet flights to Fez..

We are in debt to one of our regular readers for the following observation. Thank you!

I think Easyjet will be flying to Fez from April 08 onwards ,their internet site is not showing the destination yet. This I found on Easyjet site today:

Advice for customers travelling from 30 March 2008 to/from Gatwick and Manchester

From March 30 EasyJet plans to fly the published BA/GB Airways 2008 summer schedule under the EasyJet brand.

On completion of the purchase of GB Airways by easyJet, customers who hold a BA/GB booking involving any travel from 30 March 2008 to the destinations below will travel on an EasyJet flight. Alternatively they can claim a refund. Further details will be provided by EasyJet once the purchase is finalised.

Fez Marrakech Tunis Sharm el Sheikh Hurghada
Rhodes Corfu Paphos Mykonos Heraklion
Montpellier Nantes Bastia Ajaccio Dalaman
Palma Ibiza Menorca Malaga Alicante
Tenerife Las Palmas Arrecife Faro Funchal
Malta Innsbruck Salzburg

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Fes Festival Preview #4 - Nights in the Medina 1

Over the years Nights in the Medina has become a much loved tradition at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. During these nights visitors are invited deep into the Medina to experience concerts in some spectacular venues.  In 2015 the Nights in the Medina attracted 13,000 visitors

Rageshri Das will perform at Dar Adiyel

This year the concerts will take place at Dar Adiyel, the Prefecture Hall (opposite the Batha Museum) and the Sidi Mohammed Ben Youssef Cultural Complex.

The first Night in the Medina is a continuation of the Festival's Homage to India. It will be an  evening of ragas from a group of gifted artists from Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Jodhpur and Jaipur, as well as from cities of the Indian diaspora: London, Manchester and Toronto. Most of these young masters of Hindu and Carnatic music are performing for the first time in Morocco and for some, it is their first performance outside the sub-continent.

DAR ADIYEL 18h00 and 20h30 - Rageshri Das – Khyal Song – Kolkata

From the Gharana tradition of Varanasi, Rageshri Das is the first performer this evening. Her proud beauty recalls portraits of acclaimed begums – those emancipated women who were rather irreverent. As soon as Das begins singing, we are immediately entranced: her light tone is almost frivolous, then plunges suddenly into depths not usually found in women of only thirty. The work underlying this talent is tangible. Her voice breaks in a language that reveals the emotion of the raga. She instils feeling into it in successive waves, and gathers us up with her wonderful improvisation.

This music is within her. Her father, Purnendu Das, trained with Pandit Mahadev Prasad Mishra, a fine exponent of khyal and thumri song with a great knowledge of the bandishes (composed melody, the literary element of the raga) and a contemporary of the glorious Siddeshwar Devi and Rasoolan Bai, who looked very much like Rageshri.

Rageshri learned this type of Varanasi Gharana from the age of 8, joining Pandit Mohan Lal Mishra and his son Sri Deepak Mishra, with whom she received rigorous talim (training). Twenty-two years later she is shaped by Guru-Shishya Parampara, a traditional mentoring system of learning that ensures the survival of the art.

PREFECTURE HALL  – 19h00 - Shashank Subramaniam and Rakesh Chaurasia, masters of the Bansuri flute – Chennai and Mumbai

Shashank Subramaniam and Rakesh Chaurasia

This jugalbandi, as a duo of soloists from the Indian tradition is called, promises to be full of challenges, respect and goodwill.

Coming from the tradition of TR Mahalingam and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, these thirty-year-olds are already masters and hold the foundation of music with a cosmic charm. The philosophers of ancient India say how excellently the bamboo flute expresses the union between nature and the divine.

Shashank gave his first concert in Adelaide at the age of just 11. Today, looking like a student absorbed in another world, with his bamboo flute under one arm and his laptop under the other, this prodigy is already acknowledged as one of the masters of Carnatic music.

Rakesh Chaurasia is the nephew of the legendary Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and his most accomplished pupil. He has sworn allegiance: to follow his heritage and to seek new paths. If an indisputable quality has been bequeathed to him, it is the balance between power and serenity. His experienced technique along with training in swar and tala (rhythms) can lift the audience to new heights of consciousness. As an explorer  Rakesh has recently been involved in experimental work, without losing sight of the exacting demands of classical music.

PREFECTURE HALL – 20h30 - Ustad Irshad Khan – Sitar and surbahar – Toronto

A globetrotter with a staggeringly long discography, Irshad Khan’s powerful dexterity is impressive. He comes from an awe-inspiring line: son and pupil of Ustad Imrat Khan, himself the younger brother of the great Ustad Vilayat Khan of the Imdadkhani Gharana (north Indian school of sitar and surbahar music) which played for the Mughal courts for over 400 years. Irshad plays with a superb mastery and prowess of great endurance. He imbues his performances with enormous energy. His taan (the singing of very rapid melodic passages) flirt with the speed of light, then suddenly become transcendently sweet.

SIDI MOHAMED BEN YOUSSEF CULTURAL COMPLEX – 22h30 - The King of Ghosts – premiere – India & Morocco

Cinema/Concert : original score composed by Soumik Datta, Johannes Berauer and Cormac Byrne for the film Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen by Satyajit Ray (1969), with Soumik Datta, voice, sarod.  Cormac Byrne, bodhrán (Celtic drum) and percussion and a classical Moroccan orchestra directed by Aziz el Achhab.

The King of Ghosts is an epic poem as well as an experimental jewel. This creation invites young and old, music lovers and dreamers, film lovers and the curious to indulge themselves in a feast of music and images.

Filmmaker Satyajit Ray (1921-92) made The Adventures of Goopy and Bagha, inspired by a tale written by his grandfather. This is a story of initiation led by a visionary spirit. Putting it into film resulted in some psychedelic scenes with special effects that were revolutionary at the time.

In this vintage black and white film, music is the true protagonist. Singer Goopy and percussionist Bagha have something in common: both have been excommunicated by their village because of their mediocre talent. Roaming in the forest, the King of Ghosts grants them three wishes. Thus armed with the power to look after themselves at all times, the ability to move instantly to wherever they wish to be and a spectacular musical ability, our two heroes set off on a fantastic journey that ends at the king’s court. Victorious in an improbable musical tournament, they manage to prevent the outbreak of war between two brothers, fighting off the forces of evil, re-establishing harmony between kingdoms and discovering love! Isn’t that the miracle of music?

The film is little known in this part of the world. Soumik Datta, prodigy of the sarod lute, is half Bengali and half British and decided to work with the film as he saw in it a wonderful field to explore.

‘All little Bengalis grow up with Goopy and Bagha. And once we’re grown up, we see its depths … Released some decades after the independence of India, the cultural revolution is at its heart: artistic creation gives us the power and energy to fight for just causes.’

Along with composer Johannes Berauer and drummer Cormac Byrne, Soumik Datta weaves sublime melodies that lie somewhere between folk and classic, orchestral textures and a contagious beat that engenders an astonishingly ethereal experience. The solo instrument takes on the voice of Goopy who, as if on a magic carpet, transports us to a mythical world.

Thanks to Helen Ranger for translations from the French

Nights in The Medina 1

 May 9

Book your ticket here

The View From Fez is a Fez Festival official Media Partner
FULL FESTIVAL PROGRAMME HERE

See our Fes Festival previews:
Opening Night Preview
Homage to India Preview
Divas of the World Preview
Nights in the Medina 1 Preview
Nights in the Medina 2 Preview
Nights in the Medina 3 Preview
Istanbul to Fez Preview
Tribute to Oum Keltoum Preview
Samira Saïd Preview
Forum Sessions Preview
Sufi Nights & Boujloud Concerts

SHARE THIS!