Ghalia Benali: Romeo & Leila
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Music, literature and love. What more does a person need? Not much, if you ask Ghalia Benali. The Brussels-Tunisian singer and artist will present her book Romeo & Leila, a poetic tale with penetrating drawings and texts in English, French and Arabic. Music lovers will also be delighted: during the presentation, Ghalia Benali will sing Arabic and other songs about possible and impossible loves, accompanied by her musicians friends.
Ghalia Benali, at home on all art markets
If Brussels had to have a voice, chances are that it would be that of Ghalia Benali: richly layered, multicultural and intriguing. The Brussels resident with Tunisian roots has created a sound that is very much her own, with shreds of French chanson, Sufic music and Indian raga, as well as elements of flamenco, jazz and even baroque. In her imaginative tale Romeo & Leila, she displays her great talent as a storyteller and illustrator.
Romeo & Leila
Ghalia Benali sees her illustrated tale Romeo & Leila as an autobiography. The book’s paintings, fairytale texts and poems in a range of languages are about discovering oneself, the fight of love against death, and cultural differences. As in her music, Benali’s graphic art also draws on different traditions. Romeo & Leila contains traces of the medieval illuminated manuscript as well as enchanting Arabic calligraphy.
Arabic richness
This evening is the result of a collaboration between Passa Porta and Lagrange Points, a Brussels initiative that highlights the wide diversity of Arabic culture and literature.
Lagrange Points is a collective of students, teachers, musicians, writers and cultural activists from different countries. The group has opened two pop-up bookshops in Brussels already. Passa Porta supports Lagrange Points with advice and joint programmes.
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ORG. Passa Porta, Lagrange Points
Coming soon at
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In de elfde editie van ons café chantant brengt Gaea Schoeters een programma met o.a. Rachida Lamrabet, Anneleen Van Offel en Steven Van Ammel. Onderbelichte vrouwelijke kunstenaars en wetenschappers krijgen het spotlicht, met muzikale intermezzo’s door pianiste Lies Colman en zangeres Lieselot De Wilde.
Opening Brussels City of Letters
There are over 1 million people living in Brussels. Most of them do not know each other, but they all have a story to tell. During the Brussels City of Letters project, 100 Brussels residents were matched up in pairs and got to know each other through a series of letters. The exchanges turned these strangers into pen pals. Discover their letters and stories on May 15 at the opening event at Muntpunt, with performances by some of the participating authors. The event will also inaugurate posters with the letter excerpts that can also be seen in the streets of Brussels for a whole month.
Meet the author: Kathrin Röggla
Nobody writes stories like Kathrin Röggla. Strange, menacing, disruptive. She is one of the most important and most acclaimed German-language writers. With Nachtprogramma, her work is now also available in Dutch. Together with Prof. Inge Arteel, Kathrin Röggla will join us for a discussion with her translators and read from her short-story collection.