Invited by the Cervantes Institute, the Spanish duo of medieval music illuminated the church of La Goulette during the closing recital of the musical October of Carthage.
They were two, with their rare and precious instruments and their voices which told, sang and revive the mythical Andalusia, topos and golden age of living together.
Born in Seville and born in Cordoba, Emilio Villalba and Sara Marina carry in them, a spark of Andalusia and a formidable repertoire, each note of which challenged the very numerous audiences gathered last night, in the Saint Augustine church and Saint faithful to La Goulette.
The fence of the 2023 edition of the musical October of Carthage had in these trying days, found the right and serene tempo, the ideal recital which, both aroused the adhesion of the large assistance and offered superb musical and poetic alloys.
Because Emilio Villalba and Sara Marina carry a project, strong of the conservation and the transmission of a secular heritage. “Al Andalus” is their unique way of exploring a heritage whose epicenter is Spain and which is now common to several peoples and country of the Mediterranean.
Basically, the recital “Al Andalus” resembles several aspects of the Tunisian tradition of Malouf and Mouwachah as they are preserved by the Rachidia and returned each summer, by the Testour Festival. This Andalusian legacy is very lively and the public of Emilio Villalba and Sara Marina was not mistaken since powerful reminiscences sprang from each note, each sound, each word.
The emotion – very palpable – was at its height when the Spanish artists began the recitation of poems extracted from the “Colombe Colomber” by Ibn Hazm. In a few chosen words, Emilio Villalba had previously explained how the poet who was then in prison, came from his jail, writing one of the most beautiful texts on love.
Then, Sara Marina’s pure and crystalline voice rose to the apse, in a timeless and deeply inspired song.
It was literally a moment of grace. Like all the recital which allowed beyond the lute, to discover several period instruments that the fingering of Emilio Villalba vibrated and reborn. La Viole, the Citole and especially the Rabeb that we know well, have returned the Noubas and the Zajel of yesteryear.
At the same time, the percussion of Sara Marina kept the tempo and, at the hushed sound of the Bendir and the Darbouka, punctuated the musical story of Al Andalus.
Obviously, there was a reminder and a standing ovation, as the two musicians had enchanted the public by the game of correspondence they had established between Spain and Maghreb through Andalusian.
A concert to tell the truth memorable, of those who launch bridges between the peoples, while elsewhere, walls continue to set up against the background of noise of boots and warrior clamors. Isn’t this Andalusia, by its exemplarity, a matrix for all peace?
Surbreptitiously and waterproof of the repertoire interpreted by the duo Emilio Villalba and Sara Marina, the message of peace and fraternity was clearly perceptible. And, in good intelligence, while savoring each flight, the public has fully communicated with the artists and their halo set with music.
The Goulette church was transcended, confirming the judicious choice of Musical October by Carthage who, in partnership with the Archbishopric of Tunis, is now deployed in consecrated churches.
Of course, nostalgia for acropolium was there, in hearts and perhaps even encrusted in the songs of the Grand Ibn Hazm, an universal Andalusian and a poetic demiurge of an exceptional recital.
