During the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024, Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra presents Hadra Immersive, an experience with the central theme being the interaction between the performers and the audience, leading to a shared experience that can be both intimate and ecstatic. The climax of Hadra is not just a musical peak; it is a moment of collective transcendence, in which those present jointly reach a state of spiritual ecstasy and unity.
Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra presents Hadra in its Northern Moroccan tradition and, especially for Le Guess Who? 2024, transforms it into a full-sensory experience in collaboration with visual artist Arion de Munck. Invisible resonances in the music will become visual patterns generated by the combination of water and light.
Conceived by Salah Mesbah and Ahmed el Maai of the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra, the performance is imagined as a collaboration between the audience and the musicians. Upon entering, visitors will receive a cup of water to pour into a circular basin in the middle of the hall; this is linked to a light installation that creates patterns in light and water. The orchestra is placed around the basin and the audience sits in a circle around the musicians.
They often take place in monasteries, during religious festivals and special occasions such as the moussem (annual pilgrimages) of local saints. Traditional instruments such as the taarija (small drum), derbouka, and qraqeb (metal castanets) are essential for creating the hypnotic rhythms that put participants in a trance. Traditionally, the players focus on unfolding melodies, special poetry, repetitions and accelerating rhythms, whereby the interaction with the audience becomes increasingly cathartic.
Hadra Immersive is a co-production of Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra, Arion de Munck and Meervaart.
Photography by Mees Borst