Fez Sacred Music Festival Kicks off on May 28

The Moroccan spiritual capital city of Fez will host the 8th edition of its Sacred Music Festival May 28 through June 11 under the generic theme of "Paths of Wisdom."

Evening concerts will be held at Bab Al-Makina, a 14th century weapon factory turned into a festivities square, while afternoon shows will be staged in the sumptuous Palace of Dar Bat'ha.

H'madcha, or Sufi drummers of Fez, will perform their highly spiritual music in the Roman ruins of Volubilis and its 300 B.C. Arc of Triumph, as a backdrop.

The festival will open by the Turkish "Voyage Nocturne Ensemble," directed by Kudsi Erguner featuring Sacred chants and music of the Ottoman era.

Leading musicians from Bulgaria, Chechnya, Egypt, France, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria, Switzerland, and the United States will be present at this annual rendez-vous.

The complete program is posted on the festival website, www.morocco-fezfestival.com.