Música Antigua, led by award-winning musician Eduardo Paniagua, debuted their latest show Sueño de Al-Andalus (Dreams of Al-Andalus) at the Spain Pavilion today (27 January) at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Led by Paniagua, the cast also included Cesar Carazo, performing flamenco, Arabic chant and the fiddle; Josefa Gómez La Jose, performing flamenco and chants; Wafir Sheikheldin, performing chants and oud; and dancer Cristiane Azem.
Resplendent in shimmering silver and gold, Azem transfixed the audience with a variety of dance styles, including folk, flamenco and belly dancing, complementing and enhancing the live music.
While flamenco music was born – and still lives – among the picturesque green hills of southern Spain’s Andalusia, the Arab roots of flamenco run deep, with influences extending to the style of performance and the rhythms and scales of the songs. The result is a fascinating fusion of Spanish and Arab traditions
Evoking a festival-like atmosphere, the fiery Arab-Spanish music tells the story of medieval evening parties in Al-Andalus, while spreading awareness of the cultural richness that Al-Andalus meant for western music.
Dreams of Al-Andalus will also take place on 29 January at 1830 GST at the Earth Stage and 1940 GST at the Spain Pavilion.
