The maalouf (or malouf)
Langorous and captivating, maalouf is a music that plays an important part in the gentleness and beauty of the place. Originally from Seville, this beautiful Andalusian music was introduced to Tunisia by refugees between the 13th and 15th centuries. Carried by a gentle nostalgia, maalouf is structured by noubas, musical compositions consisting of a series of vocal and instrumental pieces performed in a precise order. Generally starting slowly, they accelerate to a crescendo, guiding the emotion to a paroxysm of power and depth. A typical maalouf ensemble consists of at least three musicians, playing oud, harmonium, darbouka, violin, lute or flute.
A true pillar of national identity, maalouf has survived only thanks to the efforts of the Tunisian government, which in the 1930s created La Rachidia, an institution bringing together the elite of musicians and poets working to safeguard Tunisia's musical heritage. After independence, a conservatory was built where maalouf was taught, notably by the great oudist Khémaïs Tarnane, one of the first masters of the genre. In addition to its preservation, the Rachidia enabled maalouf to be transformed into symphonic pieces played by large ensembles, inspired by Western classical music and Egyptian ensembles. It was here that generations of great artists were trained, such as Lotfi Bouchnak, an oud player and composer who was a key figure in Tunisian music. Other notable names in maalouf include Salah El Mahdi, whose Dantesque repertoire - almost 600 compositions - includes some of the finest pieces in the genre; El Azifet - meaning " The Women Musicians " - the Arab world's first female orchestra of art music (founded in March 1992 by Tunisian Amina Srarfi); and, more recently, Zied Gharsa (son of the illustrious Tahar Gharsa) and Syrine Ben Moussa, who have established themselves as icons of the genre.
Apart from the headquarters of La Rachidia, one of the best opportunities to listen to maalouf is the Testour festival of Arabo-Andalusian music, which is partly dedicated to it. Otherwise, a few venues, such as the beautiful Théâtre Municipal de Tunis, program a fair amount of maalouf. Nicknamed "La Bonbonnière", this beautiful Art Nouveau building is well worth a visit.
The mezoued
Taking its name from a bagpipe-like wind instrument of Bedouin origin, consisting of a goatskin bag and two perforated rose pipes, the mezoued is one of Tunisia's most popular traditional forms of music. A perfect mezoued ensemble includes the bagpipe, of course, but also percussion instruments (bendir, tabl, darbouka) and singers. Widely appreciated for its festive melodies, this style developed among the less privileged bangs of the population, first in the countryside, then, above all, in the towns. Through its songs, which use dialect, slang and good-natured lyrics as a means of expression, it spontaneously established itself as a musical counter-culture, defying classical forms that respected defined rules and codes. For many years, mezoued suffered from a bad reputation, before finally gaining widespread recognition, to the point where it now tops the Tunisian music charts. Among the many mezoued players, the most important are Hedi Habbouba, the great master of the genre, which he also modernized considerably; Samir Loussif, who wrote hymns such as " Ya mimti el ghalia "; Ouled Jouini, who played a major role in the revival of Tunisian popular music; and Zaza Show, one of the few women in the field.
Classical and scholarly music
As in the rest of the Arab world, the notion of art music in Tunisia differs from the Western definition. That said, the latter does exist in the country, embodied, among others, by the Orchestre Symphonique Tunisien. Founded in 1969 on the initiative of the Ministry of Culture, it is the country's leading philharmonic ensemble, and aims to disseminate the masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire in Tunisia, as well as adapting traditional Tunisian and Arab-Muslim music to the symphonic orchestra format. Composed of sixty professional musicians (graduates of prestigious schools and conservatories), the ensemble was initially entrusted to the French conductor Jean-Paul Nicollet, before evolving in the hands of leading Tunisian conductors such as Ahmed Achour and Hafedh Makni.
Although the orchestra tends to focus on works by Mozart, Bizet and Beethoven, it also plays the great national classical composers such as Salah El Mahdi, Ouanès Khligène, Kaddour Srarfi and Ahmed Achour.
The orchestra regularly takes part in the Festival international de musique symphonique d'El Jem, a not-to-be-missed international event held every summer, as well as the Festival international de Carthage and the Festival international du Sahara de Douz. On a more international level, you can also enjoy a fine classical program at the Festival Octobre Musical de Carthage. For twenty days in October, a myriad of artists gather in the Acropolium for piano, violin and guitar concerts.
Tunisia has always been associated with art music, but since the late 1990s has seen the emergence of a wave of avant-garde and improvised music. This highly dynamic scene is particularly prized for its explorations and its desire to take the Tunisian musical tradition out of its comfort zone. Among them, the most prominent names are Dhafer Youssef, the great oud player, Anouar Brahem, also a master of the oud and used to building bridges between Arab music and jazz (signed to the fabulous ECM label), Wajdi Cherif, a pianist who shares exactly the same ambition, and Jasser Haj Youssef, who blends classical, oriental and jazz influences using the viola d'amore, a forgotten instrument of the European Baroque that he has brought back into fashion. These are just some of the names you're likely to come across on the bill of the Tabarka International Jazz Festival , an internationally renowned event that also welcomes world music, Latino, Raï...
Popular music
A member of the Rachidia since the 1930s, Saliha was one of the first stars of Tunisian song, and its eternal great voice. After her, we had to wait until the 1960s and 1970s, and the development of Tunisian variety music, to see the emergence of new popular musical figures. It was here that a number of icons appeared, including Naâma, who became the muse of several important composers (Mohamed Triki, Ahmed Hamza, Ridha Kalaï, Ali Riahi, Kaddour Srarfi and Chedly Anouar), Oulaya, whose success resounded throughout much of the Arab world, and Zouheïra Salem, who belonged to the same generation. A number of men also made their mark at the time, including Mustapha Charfi, Ezzeddine Idir and, above all, the much-loved Kacem Kefi. There was also Ali Riahi, a great modernizer of Tunisian music between the 1950s and 1970s, who remains as famous for his extravagant stage looks as for his vast repertoire, divided between tradition and Westernized style. His music was a resounding success throughout the Maghreb.
More recently, Tunisian popular music has been embodied by artists such as Nabiha Karaouli, a contemporary diva with a majestic voice; Saber Rebaï, whose repertoire draws heavily on local heritage; Latifa Arfaoui, the embodiment of pop in Arabic; and Amina Fakhet, a regular at the Carthage International Festival. The latter is one of the country's most important events, and one of the best opportunities to hear her most beautiful voices on stage.
Current music
Like everywhere else in the world, hip-hop has found a home in Tunisia. The Jasmine Revolution has enabled a number of rappers to give voice to this rage for freedom, and to remind us of the injustice of the former regime. Among the country's best-known rappers are Klay BBJ, with his rebellious image, and Bendir Man, the anti-Ben Ali standard-bearer. Today, the latest local rap success stories are Samara and Alfa.
As for electronic music, the Tunisian scene is starting to make a name for itself internationally. Starting with Emel Mathlouthi. A muse of the Jasmine Revolution - which led to her removal from the Carthage Festival, only to be reinstated under public pressure - Emel Mathlouthi's powerful trip hop - in the tradition of such greats as Björk and Massive Attack - is infused with her Tunisian musical roots. Another interesting young artist, Azu Tiwaline, combines dub and dubstep with traditional Amazigh rhythms. Closer to home, Deena Abdelwahed, signed to Parisian label InFiné, is considered one of techno's most promising artists. And finally, the Belgian-Tunisian collective Bargou 08 blends traditional instruments and repertoire with synthesizers and electronic grooves.
When it comes to contemporary music, the country's most popular event is by far Pop In Djerba. For three days in October, pop, rock and electro meet on Sidi Mehrez beach to rock the island.
The theater
Theater underwent something of a renaissance in Tunisia after independence. The great actor of the time, Ali Ben Ayed, played a decisive role in the revival of Tunisian theater. A great promoter of the discipline, a relentless actor and director, his time at the head of the municipal theater troupe in Tunis marked not only the latter's golden years, but also the beginning of a national and even international renaissance for Tunisian theater. He enjoyed great success with Camus' Caligula and Federico Garcia Lorca's La Yerma, both of which he staged in Arabic.
Mahmoud Messadi, another famous name, made a name for himself with a work with a significant title, Le Barrage, a drama of Tunisian soil. In recent years, Yahia Yaiche - Amnesia by Fadhel Jaibi and Jalila Baccar, a play that dreamt of the fall of Ben Ali before its time, has made its mark. Today, Leila Toubel, a Tunisian activist, actress and playwright with a powerful body of work, is one of the most important figures in contemporary Tunisian theater.
Every two years, the Journées théâtrales de Carthage (Carthage Theatre Days ) make their three strikes. Tunisian troupes perform alongside international companies. Another major event is the Hammamet International Festival, held from mid-July to mid-August. In Tunis, apart from the Théâtre Municipal - the institution - the Théâtre El Hamra is an important venue for local cultural life.
