The Mediterranean Sea is a borderline and a bridge between Europe and Africa that has brought together different peoples and their cultures for centuries, creating an incredible variety of musical traditions. The ensemble of musicians and researchers La Cantiga de la Serena will arrive in Liepaja from the Salento region of Southern Italy, and they have prepared the most vivid examples from the ancient music heritage of the Mediterranean region, creating a dialogue between Western and Eastern music culture.
The musicians of the ensemble study different songs, languages, stories, and traditions, looking for connections and new perspectives to introduce to contemporary audiences. La Novia, the latest album by La Cantiga de la Serena, is rich in symbols from Mediterranean traditional culture, mystical, esoteric, and philosophical implications, all while retaining a timeless belief in the promise of love.
The concert program includes several traditional songs of the Sephardim (Jewish communities in the Spanish region), such as ‘A la una yo naci’, and ‘La Novia’ – a song with a rapid, hypnotic tempo with verses from a song from the Salento region, and ‘Adio querida’, a touching romantic ballad with a melody from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera ‘La traviata’. ‘La Tarantella’, written in Italian in 1693 by Cristofaro Caresana, is a brilliant example of the interaction between classical and traditional music. ‘Tarantella di San Michele’ and 'Vorrei volare’ come from the Puglia region. They are a tribute to the well-known and beloved singer of Salento folk music Uccio Aloisi. The author of ‘Longa farahfaza’ Riad Al Sunbati is a twentieth-century icon of Egyptian music.
The musicians will play instruments from different cultures and will indulge in sensory improvisations, offering their listeners their own versions of these ancient Mediterranean songs and rituals.
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