Montreal samples the riches of Arab culture Date
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The festival, which runs until Nov. 16, celebrates Arabic culture through musical performances, art exhibitions, plays, dance, films and even debates, mostly in French and Arabic. The 60-event schedule will feature more than 360 artists and participants."The festival is where Arabic culture can express itself in all its richness, in all its scope," Nakhlé said.
The Stage Arts series kicks off tonight at Salle Pierre Mercure in Centre Pierre Péladeau with a Mediterranean-themed concert by L'Ensemble Constantinople and guests.
Among the other anticipated highlights of Stage Arts, which focuses primarily on music, theatre and dance, is Voix Croisées, a cross-cultural concert with Algerian-born singer Lynda Thalie and Quebec singers like Michel Rivard, Luc de Larochellière and Marie-Denise Pelletier. The show, set for next Wednesday, also features crackerjack bassist Tony Levin, who has played with King Crimson.
The Culture Show series gives painters, writers, thinkers, playwrights and filmmakers a chance to present their work and, in some instances, participate in exchanges and debates with audience members. It's all in keeping with this year's face-to-face theme, Nakhlé said.
"The Culture Show is where we find each other. We listen, we question each other and push all the borders to their conclusion," he said.
Nakhlé also waxed enthusiastic about Sociocultural Face to Face, a talk on Monday in which Sylvaine de Plaen, Abdelaziz Chrigui and Abdelghani Dades will examine the contributions immigrants can make to Quebec society via their own family-based models.
For many, the thrill of the festival will be one of discovery, Nakhlé said. "Someone from outside the culture will find immense riches and might be astounded by its variety," he said.
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