Now in its eleventh edition, Fête de l’Olivier stages dialogues between Arab and Mediterranean musical traditions and contemporary creation. The program gathers voices and instrumentalists such as Yasmine Hamdan, Trio Joubran and Retsina Cola, weaving intimate and powerful moments. Artists alternate between rooted repertoires and experimental approaches, inviting attentive listening and emotional resonance. The festival highlights improvisation, lyrical storytelling and cross-cultural collaboration.

Trio Joubran, formed by brothers Samir, Wissam and Adnan Joubran, presents Twenty Springs: a two-decade survey of their oeuvre for oud. Joined by a string quartet (Valentin Mussou, cello; Anne Gouverneur and Sylvain Favre, violins; Anne Berry, viola) and percussionists Habib Meftah and Ersoj Kazimov, the ensemble expands the trio’s intimate sound into a rich, resonant tapestry. Arrangements alternate fragile solo interludes and sweeping, rhythmic passages, where luminous strings and precise percussion amplify the oud’s plaintive melodies, creating a meditative, emotionally charged journey.

Retsina Cola channels the raw intimacy of rebetiko, a Greek urban music born from Asia Minor exile. The young quartet, composed of Alexios Koutsourelis (bouzouki and vocals), Giorgos Goudousakis (guitar and vocals), Melina Vasiliki Paraskevopoulou (percussion and vocals) and Ioannis Christakopoulos (accordion and vocals), blends plaintive melodies, driving rhythms and close vocal interplay. Their repertoire navigates longing, thwarted love and social struggle, stirred by oriental spices and smoky textures that evoke tavern nights and collective memory.

With her Hope Tour, Angélique Kidjo brings one of Africa’s most remarkable voices to life. A Grammy winner, she blends West African roots with Afrobeat, soul and funk to build a vibrant, rhythmic soundscape. Songs like “Mother Nature” bridge generations from Salif Keita to Burna Boy, affirming dignity, solidarity and joy. Backed by a dynamic band, Kidjo radiates passion and rhythmic intensity, transforming the evening into a celebratory journey of movement, warmth and communal energy.

Aterciopelados, led by Andrea Echeverri and Héctor Buitrago, bring three decades of socially conscious rock fused with Latin rhythms. On this tour they celebrate La Pipa de la Paz — 30 Years with a set that balances electric immediacy and poetic lyricism. Support act Palenque La Papayera offers exuberant banda rooted in Caribbean mestizaje, communal dance and brass-driven textures. Together they create a festive, visceral dialogue where political urgency meets collective joy and movement.

Fredz is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose singular voice blends rap, pop and chanson. His intimate, cinematic songs transform fragments of daily life into universal narratives, sung with disarming sincerity and an intensely lived presence. The concert navigates contrasts of light and melancholy, pairing tender melodies with rhythmic verve that highlight everyday details and emotional shifts. Independent and owner of his project, Fredz favours durable songs over trends, shaping performances of deep warmth and quiet intensity.

In French.