Encounters

Born in 1938 in Constantine of an Andalusian father and Provençale mother, Gaston Ghrenassia later took the stage name of Enrico Macias. It is worthwhile taking a look at the career of this popular star, who is also a peace activist and works towards dialogue between peoples. In 1978, this singer of Enfants de tous pays was invited to Egypt by President Anwar Sadat, and sang at the foot of the pyramids in front of an audience of 20 000. Two years later, Kurt Waldheim, then Secretary General of the United Nations, gave him the title of ‘Singer for Peace’. That same year, 1980, Enrico donated all the royalites from his song Malheur à celui qui blesse un enfant to UNICEF. In 1981 he wrote the song Un berger vient de tomber the day after the death of President Sadat, in tribute to him. It became an enormous success and won two Gold Discs. In 1995, Enrico received the highest award, the Crystal Tree of Life, from the Weizmann Institute of Science. He was then, in 1997, nominated by Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the UN, as Roving Ambassador for the UN with a special mission for peace, brotherhood and aid for children of all countries.

In 1999, this ambassador of peace fulfilled his lifetime wish: an exceptional concert in honour of his father-in-law, Raymond Leyris, master of Islamic-Andalous-Maalouf-Fondouk-Constantine music, who had been assassinated in 1961 in Algeria .

Lotfi Bouchnak is a singer, lute-player and composer born in Tunis to a family that has its roots in Turkish Bosnia (as his name indicates). An inspired artist, Lotfi has a powerful charisma that thrills the crowds at his Arab-world concerts who delight in his powerful voice, his extensive range and his exceptional expression.

A passionate, committed artist, Lotfi is principally concerned with the classical Arab repertoire of scholarly tradition. He is a bold interpreter of the Tunisian malouf and an inspired oud player. Lotfi continues in the footsteps of his namesake, Mustafa al Bushnak (1770-1856), grand master of Aleppo , and explores the traditions of the Golden Age when travelling singers crossed the Muslim Empire singing in the courts of princes of both East and West, so spreading this cosmopolitan art. In fact his cosmopolitan world view, influenced by

the great musicans of Egypt , Syria , Iraq , Tunisia and Turkey , such as Tawfiq Quwiwi (who was his teacher), Salih al Mahdi, Sayyid Darwish, Salih Abd al Hayy, Sabah Sakrih, has enhanced his style superbly. In his music, the rhythms of the Near East are enriched by Arabo-Andalusian nuances.