Premiere of "Queen Of Sheba” a symphonic collaboration with Ibrahim Maalouf at the Jazz A Vienne Festival

On July 9th, the trumpet player Ibrahim Maalouf was in the Antique Theater of Vienne, in front of more than 7,500 spectators, for an unprecedented project with the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie and singer Angelique Kidjo. 

All gathered around a muse: the queen of Sheba. A historical figure from Jazz to Vienna, the Beninese singer, dressed in a royal dress, bears in her that strength of character that the Queen of Sheba had. A myth mentioned in biblical, Koranic and Hebrew stories, that of a woman who reigned over a kingdom stretching from Yemen to northern Ethiopia and Eritrea. She would have gone to Jerusalem to fight against King Solomon, attracted by his reputation for wisdom. 

Angélique Kidjo wrote for this show, presented for the first time, seven texts like the seven enigmas that the queen would have asked King Solomon to seduce him. Because it is above all a love story. The meeting between two rulers that will give birth to Menelik, the first king of Ethiopia. Enigmas that promote tolerance, respect and sharing.

Once again, Ibrahim Maalouf moves us as much as he enchants us, accompanied by Angélique Kidjo, always so sublime and charismatic.

Because this creation was done without barrier. Ibrahim Maalouf's music is, as is often the case, a mixture of influences in which Afro beat, classical music, pop, etc. mix, where the notes are as sweet as a serenade and suddenly more powerful like passion.