CONCERT: CAPELLA DE MINISTRERS | FESTIVAL RENAIXEMENT

Capella de Ministrers presents a program that delves into Sephardic and Arab-Andalusian songs, like pages from an ancient parchment whispering the very essence of human culture. These songs, more than mere melodies, stand as ritual pillars, passed down through generations, carrying beliefs and values that intertwine the earthly with the divine. In the texture of their notes, we find the quest for a deep connection, a sacred bond that forges identity and belonging within the social fabric. Sephardic and Arab-Andalusian songs, as musical jewels rescued from medieval Spain and the Sephardic diaspora, encapsulate the cultural richness of the Jewish and Arab communities that once shared the Iberian Peninsula. Ladino, in Sephardic songs, unfolds its melancholy, weaving the diaspora’s fabric with echoes from Turkey and Greece. Meanwhile, Arab-Andalusian songs immerse us in the enchanting era of al-Andalus, intertwining Arab, Jewish, and Spanish influences. These melodies fervently revived on global stages, serve as cultural bridges crossing traditions, enriching our understanding of the vast human heritage. Each note, each word, tells stories of love, loss, and hope, reminding us of the intrinsic beauty of diversity and the miraculous ability of music to unite scattered hearts.

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The program Ritual with Sephardic and Arab-Andalusian songs thus becomes a magical journey through history and spirituality, an intimate connection with the cultural and religious roots that once flourished in the Iberian Peninsula, with melodies acting as living witnesses to how music can transcend the barriers of time and space, standing as an ambassador of tolerance and the intrinsic richness of diversity.

CAPELLA DE MINISTRERS: RITUAL
Sephardic and Arab-Andalusian songs in the diaspora

Françoise Atlan, voice
Carles Magraner, violas, and direction
Aziz Samsaoui, kanun, saz, and oud
Kaveh Sarvarian, nay and tombak
Jota Martínez, citole, hurdy-gurdy, lute, and percussion