| Italian Premiere musical creation based on the poetry by Rābia Al Adawiya
Kudsi Erguner musical direction, ney flute
Waed Bouhassoun singer, oud
Bruno Caillat percussions, dāf drum
Yunus Balcioglu singer, salmodia
Ghassan Ammouri kanoun
production
Maison des Cultures du Monde
in collaboration with
Change Performing Arts | Rābia Al Adawiya was born in Iraq around 713, less than a century after the death of Prophet Muhammad. She lived a sheltered life in Bassora where she died in 801, barely 80 years old. As a significant figure of Muslim mysticism, she is considered one of the most important voices of Sufi poetry.
Once an experienced courtesan, prostitute, dancer and ney player, she abandoned all to consecrate her life to God. Her short poems exalt the love for God as well as revolutionising the religious principles and customs of her time well before the arrival of another important mystic Hallāj born 50 years after her death.
Kudsi Erguner wrote his score for ney, percussions, oud and kanoun, inspired by the unforgettable repertoire of Egyptian singer Oum Kalsoum. Rābia Al Adawiya poems are entrusted to the virtuouso voice of the young Syrian singer Waed Bouhassoun.
Kudsi Erguner is regarded as the best ney flute player in the world and is known for his collaboration with Peter Gabriel, Martin Scorsese, Maurice Bejart, but even more for his musical collaboration with Peter Brook and his Mahabharata. |
