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.

Yasmine Hamdan performs a set that folds pan-Arab traditions into contemporary electro-pop, where her intimate, smoky voice drifts between poetic lyricism and rhythmic propulsion. A singer-songwriter and producer who emerged with Beirut’s pioneering duo Soapkills and later collaborated with Mirwais, she blends soul, guitar-driven motifs and electronic textures. Her work with filmmakers like Elia Suleiman and Jim Jarmusch underscores its cinematic quality. The evening promises a meditative yet urgent soundscape that navigates memory, longing and tenderness.

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.

Presented by Horan Sounds, this two-part programme brings together the Rokh Quartet and the Sepidâr Ensemble to explore Persian classical repertoire and contemporary compositions. Sepidâr’s set, titled “Tendre tourmente”, interweaves delicate modal improvisations and rhythmic patterns with the quartet’s intimate string textures. The project frames heritage and renewal, highlighting musicians trained in Iran and their dialog with modern expression. Sparse, luminous sonorities and intricate ornamentation create a meditative yet electric atmosphere, transporting listeners into a nuanced sonic landscape.