Montreal’s Algerian community turned out in large numbers to see Lamia Aït Amara, who was making her first appearance in the city. She was accompanied by her eight musicians, a condition she stipulated for her first participation in the Arab World Festival.
Dressed all in black, with a gold jacket that matched those of the musicians, she appeared on stage and the audience erupted in cheers, a cry of celebration, from the very first notes.
The musicians also sang in the choir, which added intensity to the show and contrasted with Lamia’s soft voice. She was draped with the Algerian flag from the very first song, which she then removed for the rest of the concert.
“Tonight is even more special because it is the date so dear to our hearts, the day that symbolizes courage, resistance, the thirst for freedom for our dear Algeria,” referring to the beginning of the Algerian War.
Some songs begin with just the oud, while others start with the flute or piano, before the other instruments join in one after another. We were treated to a medley of several Algerian music classics that the audience knew by heart. Although the seats at the National are usually seated, many people stood up to dance, so strong was the urge to join in.
The hall was almost full, with spectators of all ages but mainly in their forties and older. His songs speak a lot about Algeria but also about love, about what I was able to get out of it with the little Arabic I have left.
Lamia primarily addresses her audience in French, but also speaks in Arabic, throwing in a few jokes along the way. While she is rather reserved during the first few songs of the show, you can sense her becoming more and more relaxed, even breaking into dance at times.
The evening becomes increasingly festive after the short intermission. “We’re going to do a very nostalgic program,” she announces to her audience before launching into a song in French with the feel of a bolero but sung in an oriental style, beginning with a piano solo.
“I was afraid to come to Montreal, I wondered if there would be many people. But now, it makes me want to come back,” she admits.
She performs the famous song “Historia de amor,” singing it in Spanish and Arabic with great precision. Some songs begin calmly, gradually accelerating as the crowd applauds and cheers, culminating in an explosive finale. Among the well-received covers was Rachid Taha’s famous song, “Ya Rayah,” with Lamia letting the audience sing along. The number of dancers increases, leaving their seats to move to the sides of the stage to create more space for dancing.
But the dancer who stole the show was a young girl of about ten who found herself on stage at the very end of the performance and began to dance with class and great confidence. She was also given an Algerian flag draped over her shoulders, as if the torch had been passed to her.
