Additional Information
Presented by the Montreal-based organization Alchimies Créations & Cultures—which organizes the Montreal Arab World Festival (FMA) every fall—Orientalys is carving out an increasingly prominent place in Montreal’s summer cultural calendar: Orientalys runs from Thursday, August 13, through Sunday, August 16. The event features some thirty free concerts at the Quai de l’Horloge in Montreal’s Old Port, not to mention two (paid) indoor concerts: a Kabyle Night at Club Soda this Saturday, August 15, preceded the night before (Friday, August 14) by the Rakcha Band at Ausgang Plaza. PAN M 360’s editorial policy is to highlight the knowledge, expertise, and recommendations of the programmers for each partner event, so here are the picks from the Orientalys team: Henda Ben Salah, programming director; Ghiwa Nakhlé, executive director; and their colleagues Dorra Al Ahiou and Matias Ollivier.
Henda Ben Salah
As Programming Director of the Orientalys Festival, Henda Ben Salah ensures that each edition is a vibrant and bold space for encounter, where the preservation of the great Eastern cultural heritages blends naturally with the creative energy of the next generation of local artists. Her primary motivation, along with the Orientalys team, is to present projects that are festive, unifying, and meaningful.
Noria
A true ambassador of Berber identity, Algerian singer Noria is known for her magnetic voice and infectious energy. Her musical world is characterized by moving tributes to the pioneers of protest music in her native region, while also showcasing her own socially conscious songs, which focus on collective memory and the status of women.
His participation in Orientalys, as part of the Kabyle Nuit Blanche, is invaluable because it perfectly illustrates the vitality of a folklore that continually reinvents itself from one generation to the next.
Rakcha Band
This Montreal-based group was formed in 2026 and quickly won over audiences with its unique sound, which blends Tunisian musical traditions with Western modernity, combining jazz, Mediterranean rhythms, the ney, and the darbouka.
It fits perfectly into the Orientalys program by building an artistic bridge between the East and the West.
Entre deux rives with Ali et Ihab
Ali and Ihab are two up-and-coming young artists who draw from a rich blend of Montreal and Algerian influences. This promising duo fuses Andalusian rumba, Algerian chaâbi, and cumbia with the boldness of those who dare to reinvent traditions.
Supporting this new generation is essential, as they are building the cultural bridges of tomorrow right before our eyes with a passion and sincerity that are a breath of fresh air for Montreal’s cultural scene.
Ghiwa Nakhlé
Ghiwa Nakhlé serves as the executive director of the Orientalys Festival. She oversees the planning, development, and coordination of the various editions held at the Quai de l’Horloge. Her work involves managing the overall logistics of the event and collaborating with local communities to organize the exhibition and event spaces for the festival’s various components.
Mushfiq Hashimi
As an heir to Indo-Pakistani classical music and Sufi devotional chant, singer Mushfiq Hashimi carries on the centuries-old art of qawwālī through performances imbued with profound mystical fervor. His technical virtuosity and impressive vocal power allow him to create a dialogue between intimate contemplation and collective exaltation.
His participation in Orientalys is particularly significant because his artistic world lies at the intersection of the cultural heritages of Afghanistan and South Asia.
Farzad Milani
Farzad Milani, an Iranian composer and researcher based in Montreal, offers a captivating exploration of modal music and Eastern micro-intervals on the accordion and piano through his project *Nuances persanes*. His immense talent allows him to forge a unique sonic bridge by blending the oral traditions of the Middle East with contemporary harmonies and rhythmic structures.
Featuring him at Orientalys offers a rare opportunity to discover Persian classical music in a completely new light through its interaction with Montreal’s musical scene.
Djaffar Aït Menguellet
A worthy heir to the tradition of sung poetry, multi-instrumentalist and composer Djaffar Aït Menguellet carries on the artistic legacy of his father, the legendary Lounis Aït Menguellet, while infusing it with his own contemporary sensibility. A master of some ten instruments, he draws on his immense talent as a melodist to create songs of great harmonic richness.
Following his triumph in 2022, the Orientalys audience eagerly awaits his return. Through his participation in the Nuit blanche kabyle, he once again bridges the living memory of Kabylie with musical modernity.
Matias Ollivier
With a background in film and journalism, Matias Ollivier is the director of multimedia content for the Orientalys Festival. He has helped shape the festival’s audiovisual identity and its rich, immersive aesthetic, bringing his sensibility as a filmmaker to the project. For several years, he was also one of the writers for Orientalys.
Lebanese Dabké Workshop
Thanks to Pierre Moussa’s infectious enthusiasm, the dabké becomes a frenetic moment of cultural exchange. To the lively, thunderous beat of the tabl, the audience discovers this iconic Lebanese dance by joining the circle themselves. This wonderful moment of shared experience perfectly embodies the participatory and unifying spirit of Orientalys.
Bollywood Never Stops
This ambitious evening offers a rich odyssey through Indian culture, from bhangra to kathak, including South Asian classical music and electronic music. Driven by incredible energy, this epic journey reveals a multifaceted India, where the rigor of classical forms coexists with the exuberance of Bollywood. Through its scope and generosity, it embodies the unique and daring spirit of Orientalys.
Attan Remix: The Trance of Kabul
With the AYAAM troupe, the Afghan national dance transforms into a collective trance. With their sparkling tiaras, the dancers seem possessed by the spirit of centuries-old festivals, which make their shimmering dresses swirl in rhythm. This is an opportunity for the audience to discover another side of Afghanistan—that of a country whose dances celebrate a joyful refinement.
Dorra Al Ahiou
Dorra Al Ahiou is a project manager for the Orientalys Festival. She helps select artists and proposals that align with the festival’s identity and objectives. Her role is to ensure consistency between the programming, the communications strategy, and the promotion of the festival to the public and its partners.
Miss Dance Orientalys
Miss Dance Orientalys celebrates dance as a space for expression, cultural transmission, and empowerment, bringing together artists and participants from various traditions of Oriental dance.
This project brings a participatory and intergenerational dimension to the program, while offering new visibility to female talent and the richness of dance practices.
Qi Shen
An erhu virtuoso, Qi Shen introduces Montreal audiences to an iconic instrument of the Chinese musical tradition, whose tones evoke the human voice with astonishing subtlety.
Her appearance at Orientalys is particularly significant, as it broadens the festival’s geographical scope and invites audiences to explore an Asian musical tradition that remains underrepresented in Montreal’s cultural programming.
Flammes de l’Atlas, featuring Imdyazn Canada & Adam Elfoua
Imdyazn Canada brings to life the sung poetry and Amazigh rhythms of Morocco through a repertoire deeply rooted in the memory of the Atlas Mountains. For this performance, the group welcomes Adam Elfoua, heir to the legendary band Oudaden, in a meeting of two generations that celebrates the passing down of a rich and vibrant musical heritage.
This collaboration is a perfect fit for Orientalys, as it highlights the vitality of Amazigh culture and its ability to transcend generations, borders, and territories.
