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“The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe” are back

From May 26, 2023 until June 11, 2023
MADRID
Casa Árabe Garden (c/ Alcalá, 62 and c/ O'Donnell, 1). Prior registration required. Limited spaces.

For the second year in a row, coinciding with this literary event in Madrid, Casa Árabe has organized “The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe,” which will be taking place from Friday, May 26 through Saturday, June 10. Check out the full schedule below.

On each day, the schedule includes a dabke parade -featuring this traditional dance of the Middle East- set to live music, as well as the ethnic roots concerts of El Naán, the musical poetry of Walid Ben Selim (a member of N3rdistan), rap by Huda + Laura Siyahamba + Salvia (members of Free Sis Mafia), the Canary Islands trap artist We$t Dubai and the Afro-Mediterranean melodies of Sinouj.

In addition to the performances put on in Casa Árabe’s garden, the institution will be hosting various activities in the Book Fair’s spaces, including two oral storytelling sessions inspired by science in Al-Andalus, given by Héctor Urién, and a mathematical tour through al-Andalus, given by the Descubre Foundation.

At the same time as these activities, we will be hosting a reading workshop on “The Thousand and One Nights” coordinated by Jesús Urceloy.

Check out the calendar of events for each day on this web page.
“The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe” are back
  • Night 1: Concert by El Naán (trio)

    Night 1: Concert by El Naán (trio)

    May 26, 2023As of 8:45 p.m.
    MADRID
    Casa Árabe garden (at Calle Alcalá, 62 and Calle O’Donnell, 1). As of 8:45 p.m. Free entry after making a reservation.
    In Spanish.
    On Friday, May 26, the 2023 edition of “The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe” will be starting off with a dance and percussion parade, and a performance by a trio from Palencia known as El Naán.
    The schedule of activities is as follows:

    8:45 to 9:15-9:25 p.m.Street parade with dance and percussion by Aiwacademy.
    When the Book Fair stands begin to close, this parade will take us on a journey through Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco with a dance and percussion show. Leaving from Casa Árabe and the Balqís Bookstore’s fair stand (number 29), it will march through the Book Fair heading towards Casa Árabe’s garden (located at Calle O’Donnell, 1 and Calle Alcalá, 62). When the parade reaches Casa Árabe, the performance will end and an evening of music will begin.

    9:30 to 10:45 p.m. Concert by El Naán (trio)
    From the plains of the Cerrato Palentino, El Naán explores the ethnic roots of tradition. Their powerful live performance becomes a ritual in which age-old rhythms and instruments come together with contemporary textures, ethnic music, jazz, folk... in an act of communion with the audience to which words, images and poetry are added, making it a fascinating, unique and exciting experience.
  • Night 2: Concert by Walid Ben Selim

    Night 2: Concert by Walid Ben Selim

    May 27, 2023As of 8:45 p.m.
    MADRID
    Casa Árabe garden (at Calle Alcalá, 62 and Calle O’Donnell, 1). As of 8:45 p.m. Free entry upon making a reservation.
    The second evening of “The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe” will be taking place on Saturday, May 27. On this occasion, we will get the chance to enjoy another parade, as well as poetry set to music by Walid Ben Selim.
    Tonight’s schedule is as follows:

    8:45 to 9:15-9:25 p.m.Street parade with dance and percussion by Aiwacademy.
    When the Book Fair booths begin to close, this parade will take us on a journey through Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco with a show of dance and percussion. Leaving from Casa Árabe and the Balqís Bookstore’s fair stand (number 29), it will march through the Book Fair heading towards Casa Árabe’s garden (located at Calle O’Donnell, 1 and Calle Alcalá, 62). When the parade reaches Casa Árabe, the performance will end and an evening of music will begin.

    9:30 to 10:45 p.m. Concert by Walid Ben Selim
    A versatile performer whose style plays with the limits of artistic genres: poetry, music, theater, etc. In his project, like N3rdistan, The Dice Player and Les Espaces Poétiques, he creates a universe inspired by the Arabic poetry of authors such as Maari, El Hallaj and Darwish, mixing it with electronic sounds. Today, he runs his musical laboratory in the Eastern Pyrenees, where he invites other artists, actors and musicians to share these “poetic spaces” and invent a sensitive form of music. He will be performing in a duo with the harp.
  • Virtual mathematical tour through Al-Andalus

    Virtual mathematical tour through Al-Andalus

    May 29, 2023From 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
    MADRID
    Caixabank Pavilion at the Madrid Book Fair (Paseo de Coches in the Retiro Park). From 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    In Spanish.
    As part of the activities offered during “Casa Árabe’s Thousand and One Nights at the Book Fair,” we will be hosting this tour of the main monuments of Al-Andalus, in conjunction with Fundación Descubre. Don’t miss it.
    Intended for the general public, this is a virtual tour of the Alhambra in Granada, the Mosque and Synagogue in Cordoba, and the Giralda, Torre del Oro and Real Alcázar in Seville, in order to enjoy a different view of their heritage from Al-Andalus by combining science, art and history, with the help of technological tools.

    The event will be held at the Caixabank Pavilion located within the Book Fair (Paseo de Coches del Retiro). Free admission until the event’s full capacity is reached.

    This tour is being given through cooperation by Casa Árabe and the Andalusian Foundation for the Dissemination of Innovation and Knowledge (Descubre Foundation), run by the Universities Department of the Autonomous Regional Government of Andalusia
  • Scientific tales from the Arab world

    Scientific tales from the Arab world

    June 02, 2023From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
    MADRID
    Eugenio Trías Library Ideas Workshop Room (Retiro Park). From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Free entry until the room’s capacity is reached.
    In Spanish.
    On Friday, June 2, storyteller Héctor Urién will be offering us this special session of science-related stories, as part of our activities in “Casa Árabe’s Thousand and One Nights at the Book Fair.” You don’t want to miss it.
    Casa Árabe has reinvented oral tradition with the help of Héctor Urién, a professional storyteller. In 1997, while studying biology in Salamanca, Urién realized that it was possible to make a living from storytelling, so he decided to take a chance on this career, thus mixing his scientific career with a life in show business.

    During this session, he will hold us by the hand to take us through The Thousand and One Nights and Arab oral tradition, which is peppered with unexpected scientific features. By doing this, we join up with the leitmotiv at this year’s Book Fair: “We Are All Sciences and Letters.”

    The event will be taking place in the Ideas Workshop Room at the Eugenio Trias Library from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., with free admission until the event’s capacity is reached.
  • Night 3: Concert by Huda, Laura Siyahamba and Salvia (Free Sis Mafia)
    Concert poster

    Night 3: Concert by Huda, Laura Siyahamba and Salvia (Free Sis Mafia)

    June 02, 2023As of 8:45 p.m.
    MADRID
    Casa Árabe garden (at Calle Alcalá, 62 and Calle O’Donnell, 1). As of 8:45 p.m. Free entry upon making a reservation.
    This week, the performances in “The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe” are back with a different kind of parade, as well as this concert by three of the members of the group Free Sis Mafia. It will be taking place on Friday, June 2 in Madrid.
    The schedule of activities is as follows:

    8:45 to 9:15-9:25 p.m.Street parade with dancing and Arabic oud given by Sahra Ardah and Wafir Jibril.
    As the Book Fair stands begin to close, Sahra Ardah and her dancers will be performing along with the wandering Arabic oud of Sudanese musician Wafir Jibril.Leaving from Casa Árabe and the Balqís Bookstore’s fair stand (number 29), it will march through the Book Fair heading towards Casa Árabe’s garden (located at Calle O’Donnell, 1 and Calle Alcalá, 62). When the parade reaches Casa Árabe, the performance will end and an evening of music will begin.

    9:30 to 10:45 p.m. Concert by Huda + Laura Siyahamba + Salvia (Free Sis Mafia)
    Free Sis Mafia consists of a group of girlfriends who share a musical Project. Their styles are as different as they are related to one another, thus creating a unique, groundbreaking sound. Laura Siyahamba and Huda are two of the group’s main members, whose work is grounded in union, freedom and sisterhood in rap music.
  • Night 4: We$t Dubai concert

    Night 4: We$t Dubai concert

    June 03, 2023As of 8:45 p.m.
    MADRID
    Casa Árabe garden (at Calle Alcalá, 62 and Calle O’Donnell, 1). As of 8:45 p.m. Free entry upon making a reservation.
    On Saturday, June 3, we will be hosting the fourth evening of “The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe.” We will get the opportunity to see a Lebanese “dabke” dance parade and a performance of by Canary Islands artist We$t Dubai.
    The schedule of activities is as follows:

    8:45 to 9:15-9:25 p.m. Traditional Lebanese “dabke” dance parade by Aiwacademy.
    When the Book Fair stands begin to close, this parade will offer the public a traditional Lebanese dance known as the “dabke,” in its version from the city of Baalbek. Leaving from Casa Árabe and the Balqís Bookstore’s fair stand (number 29), it will march through the Book Fair heading towards Casa Árabe’s garden (located at Calle O’Donnell, 1 and Calle Alcalá, 62). When the parade reaches Casa Árabe, the performance will end and an evening of music will begin.

    9:30 to 10:45 p.m. Performance by We$t Dubai
    Being presented as the new wave of urban music in our country. The Canary Islands artist began his career as a street artist, later taking up words as a means of expression by rhyming, rapping and trapping... In 2018, he presented several singles and an Ep, titled New Wave. In trap music, We$t Dubai found a place to fit in, where he felt like himself. However, it’s not enough to find a place for yourself, you also have to find yourself as an artist. And that’s what Rachid (We$t Dubai’s real name) has been working on since his hit ‘Nike Run’ made its strong release. However, as he puts it, his time seems to have arrived, and the canary has found its sound, with plenty of room to evolve in the future.
  • Scientific tales from the Arab world

    Scientific tales from the Arab world

    June 04, 2023From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
    MADRID
    Eugenio Trías Library Ideas Workshop Room (Retiro Park). From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Free entry until the room’s capacity is reached.
    In Spanish.
    If you missed the last session, on Sunday, June 4, storyteller Héctor Urién will once again be offering us the finest tales in Arab oral tradition related to science, during a new day in “Casa Árabe’s Thousand and One Nights at the Book Fair.” We’ll be expecting you!
    Casa Árabe has reinvented oral tradition with the help of Héctor Urién, a professional storyteller. In 1997, while studying biology in Salamanca, Urién realized that it was possible to make a living from storytelling, so he decided to take a chance on this career, thus mixing his scientific career with a life in show business.

    During this session, he will hold us by the hand to take us through The Thousand and One Nights and Arab oral tradition, which is peppered with unexpected scientific features. By doing this, we join up with the leitmotiv at this year’s Book Fair: “We Are All Sciences and Letters.”

    The event will be taking place in the Ideas Workshop Room at the Eugenio Trias Library from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., with free admission until the event’s capacity is reached.
  • Night 5: Sinouj concert
    Concert poster

    Night 5: Sinouj concert

    June 10, 2023As of 8:45 p.m.
    MADRID
    Casa Árabe garden (at Calle Alcalá, 62 and Calle O’Donnell, 1). As of 8:45 p.m. Free entry upon making a reservation.
    On Saturday, June 10, the activities in “The Thousand and One Nights of the Book Fair at Casa Árabe” will be drawing to a close with this Afro-Mediterranean jazz performance by Sinouj.
    The schedule for this last day will be as follows:

    8:45 to 9:15-9:25 p.m. Street parade of dance and percussion by Aiwacademy.
    On the last of our Book Fair days, this parade will take us on a journey through Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco with dance and percussion. Leaving from Casa Árabe and the Balqís Bookstore’s fair stand (number 29), it will march through the Book Fair heading towards Casa Árabe’s garden (located at Calle O’Donnell, 1 and Calle Alcalá, 62). When the parade reaches Casa Árabe, the performance will end and an evening of music will begin.

    9:30 to 10:45 p.m. Performance by Sinouj
    Sinouj is an Afro-Mediterranean project which uses the vantage point of contemporary jazz as the basis for creating its music, in the different traditions of the Mediterranean and Middle East, combined with African music, funk, rock and electronic music. The group’s sound is characterized by a mixture of Eastern sounds, modes and rhythms (Arabic violin, Persian ney) with an instrumentation and a harmonic and rhythmic similar to contemporary jazz and other current western music styles. This open-minded vision of music makes it possible for musicians to play a role in Sinouj from a wide range of styles, including flamenco (Jorge Pardo, Guadiana), Iranian music (Kaveh Sarvarian), Indian (Niraj Singh), soul (Alana Sinkëy) and contemporary jazz (Fabrizio Cassol, Ariel Brínguez).

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