Great Maghreb Orchestra closes fifth Kolea Andalusian festival in Algiers

The fifth festival of Andalusian music in Kolea, "Koleandalouse," wrapped up Saturday evening in Algiers, with the Great Maghreb Orchestra performing songs from Maghreb's major Andalusian schools. Made up of the troupes "Dar El Gharnatia" of Kolea (Algeria), "Chabab Monastir" (Tunisia) and "Dar El Aala" (Morocco), conducted by respectively Mohamed Cherif Saoudi, Mahmoud Frih and Ibrahim Wazzani, the Maghreb group presented a rich and varied programme before a large audience in Ibn Zeidoun movie theatre. The academic performances of Algerian schools, Tunisian melody lines, distinguished by mouwachah and tarab styles, and Morocco's bewitching rhythms resulted in an intelligent and subtle combination, especially as the three styles belong to the Andalusian  music genre. Prior to Great Maghreb Orchestra's performance, Koldea's troupe Dar El Ghernatia, composed of 24 musicians, including 11 women, presented, for about half an hour, a programme featuring singer Lila Borsali, who enthralled the audience with her crystal-clear voice.