‘Dreams of Al-Andalus’ bridges cultures with fusion of Arabic and Spanish music at Expo 2020 Dubai

Música Antigua, directed by award-winning musician Eduardo Paniagua, has premiered its latest show Sueño de Al-Andalus at the Spain Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Directed by Paniagua, the cast also includes César Carazo, who performs flamenco, Arabic singing and violin; Josefa Gómez La Jose, who performs flamenco and singing; Wafir Sheikheldin, who performs singing and oud; and dancer Cristiane Azem.

Resplendent in silver and gold, Azem captivated the audience with a variety of dance styles, including folk, flamenco and belly dancing, complementing and enhancing the live music.

Although flamenco music was born - and still lives - among the picturesque green hills of southern Spain, flamenco's Arabic roots run deep, with influences extending to the performance style and the rhythms and scales of the songs. The result is a fascinating fusion of Spanish and Arabic traditions.

Evoking a festive atmosphere, the fiery Arabic-Spanish music tells the story of medieval night parties in Al-Andalus, while spreading the cultural richness that Al-Andalus brought to Western music.