Fes festival, aims to enchant the world

"Enchanting the world once more" is the tag line for the holy music festival in the Moroccan city of Fes, one of the most important events on the global music scene and an exceptional meeting place for different civilisations. Between June 8 and 16, in the riad and narrow streets of the old medina of Morocco's former imperial capital, the chants of Egyptian mystics and Pakistani Sufis will mix with orchestras from Hungary and Italy, Berber rappers, gypsy and Occitan music, soul and blues from western stars of the standing of Archie Shepp and Joan Bex and big names from Arab music such as Wadi El Safi and Lotfi Bouchnak. The journey can draw much from the teachings of Omar Khayyam (1048-1131), a Persian astronomer, mathematician, poet and philosopher to whom the Festival will pay tribute in its 18th edition. The words of Omar Khayyam will resound in an event directed by the Frenchman Tony Gatlif and performed by a troop of actors from around the world". The events staged during the holy music Festival include a number of exhibitions in the most evocative parts of the city and the Fes Forum (June 9-12), a theatre for comparison and reflection on the profound causes of ideological, political and social change in the world.