Sami Yusuf delivers a magnificent journey through sacred music at Carthage Festival

The Carthage International Festival recently hosted a captivating concert by British-Azeri artist Sami Yusuf, offering a profound journey through sacred music. Yusuf, a fervent advocate for universalism, presented an original musical project that spanned approximately two hours, weaving together diverse Sufi traditions from Anatolia.

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The rock was the main reference. Anything designed was done in dialogue with it.

Performing with the orchestra "Les Métaboles," Yusuf was accompanied by a soprano, a resonant male vocalist, and a choir. The ensemble masterfully blended instruments such as guitars, harpsichords, Arabic violins, flutes, zokras, trumpets, and various percussion, including the kora and tabla. Their performance fluidly transitioned between Western classical, contemporary styles, and refined Andalusian influences, creating a rich musical dialogue that transcended borders and time.

Yusuf's repertoire consisted of 12 pieces, featuring Eastern Sufi chants, Andalusian "Mouachahat," and the devotional "Qawwali" from South Asia. He opened with "Veritas" and closed with "Ecstasy," performing pieces like "Sy Speech," "Al Andalous," and "We Love Life," the latter being a tribute to the people of Palestine, particularly those in Gaza. The audience actively participated, repeating lyrics after Yusuf, especially during "Lamma Bada."

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The quarry site is absolutely defined; introverted, enclosed, like an outdoor room. The quarried rock, steep and imposing, is the dominant element. The vegetation has created a second boundary, intensifying the sense of isolation but also protection.

The artist also paid homage to prominent figures in Arabic literature, such as El Halaj and Mahmoud Derviche, highlighting a distant kinship between them. The concert transported the audience through a rhythmic journey, moving from Andalusian "Mouachah" to Oriental "Samaâ." Yusuf, who grew up immersed in Persian and Azeri poetry, continues to blend Arab, Turkish, and other cultural elements in his multidimensional music.

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The design studies for public works are extremely arduous. These are endless drawings, countless hours of work, a process that is anything but simple. And when all this effort is left hanging, the burden is great.