In the presence of Jean Pierre Leleux, Senator-Mayor of Grasse, Dominique Bourret, First Deputy Mayor of Grasse, Delegate for cultural and youth affairs, and Jean Flores, Director of the Grasse Theater, the city of perfume presented on Friday the program for the highly anticipated 2nd edition of the World Sacred Music Meetings scheduled from March 30 to April 4.
After a successful first edition in 2011, the City of Grasse and the Grasse Theater decided to renew this experience aimed at intercultural dialogue through World Sacred Music. “Art and music transcend borders and represent, in my opinion, the only universal language. There is a communal desire to amplify sacred music to blend the conviviality of cultures but also, and especially, those of such rich civilizations. This 2nd edition confirms the cultural ascent of the City of Grasse,” expressed Senator-Mayor Jean-Pierre Leleux, present on the occasion along with Dominique Bourret, First Deputy Mayor of Grasse, Delegate for cultural and youth affairs, and Jean Flores, Director of the Grasse Theater.
A musical tour around the world
This 2012 edition will take place from March 30 to April 4 in various venues around Grasse. The date was carefully chosen by the event commissioner, Jean Flores: “We decided to celebrate this event on the weekend just before Easter, in other words, Palm Sunday weekend. Thus, these Meetings will occur before the Sacred Music of the World in Perpignan,” he explained.
This year, the City of Grasse will take you on a journey from the Sufi Chants of the Qadiriye brotherhood of Aleppo (Syria) to the great English sacred music of G.F. Haendel, then continuing with classical Persian chants in homage to Rûmi (Iran) to South American baroque sacred music (Mexico). Next, there’s contemporary music sung on mystical poems (Tunisia) or unique music played by the astonishing Wang Li and his jaw harps (China) to finally finish with the famous Italian baroque music.
All fans of these music genres are invited to discover the universal significance of these “sages.”
Program:
Friday, March 30 at 8:30 PM / Grasse Theater
TRANS Sufi of ALEPPO / Sufi chants of the brotherhood of Aleppo – SYRIA
Sheikh Habboush, Ensemble Al – Kindi and the Whirling Dervishes
Saturday, March 31 at 5 PM / Grasse Theater
WONG LI / Art of the jaw harp – CHINA
Preceded by Chinese tea tasting workshops (by reservation)
Saturday, March 31 at 7:30 PM / Grasse Cathedral
HAENDEL’S MESSIAH – Baroque orchestral ensemble, Ensemble Vocalita and soloists – Conducted by Jacques Maes FRANCE
Sunday, April 1 at 6 PM / Grasse Theater
WISSAL / Contemporary approach to Sufi music
Dorsaf Hamdani and her instrumental ensemble – TUNISIA
Sunday, April 1 at 8:30 PM / Grasse Theater
BURNED SONGS / Homage to Rûmî
Ali Reza Ghorbani and his instrumental ensemble – IRAN
Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30 PM / Grasse Theater
LA FIESTA CRIOLLA / A celebration in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe (1718)
Ensemble Elyma. Conducted by Gabriel Garrido – MEXICO
Wednesday, April 4 at 7:30 PM / Grasse Cathedral
ITALIAN BAROQUE MUSIC
Ensemble Baroque de Nice and soloists. Conducted by Gilbert Bezzina – FRANCE
