Yahya Hussein Abdallah & Jasser Haj Youssef Live at the Edinburgh International Festival

Yahya Hussein Abdallah & Jasser Haj Youssef Live at the Edinburgh International Festival This performance by Yahya Hussein Abdallah and Jasser Haj Youssef is both meditative and mesmerising, exploring Sufi spiritual poetry and devotional texts. Tanzanian Quranic reciter and singer Yahya Hussein Abdallah, Laureate of the 2022 Aga Khan Music Award, is a highly distinctive performer whose captivating voice creates a deeply spiritual and immersive atmosphere. Blending recitation and song, he draws audiences into expressive interpretations of Sufi poetry and Eastern literary traditions. He is joined by Tunisian-born multi-instrumentalist and composer Jasser Haj Youssef on the Baroque viola d’amore. Trained in both Western and Arabic musical traditions, Haj Youssef brings an expressive and sensitive accompaniment that complements Yahya’s soulful voice, creating a rich dialogue between voice and instrument. Inspired by the historic meeting between Sheikh Mohammad Omran and violinist Abdo Dagher, this performance is not a recreation but a reimagining. Drawing on their respective traditions, the two artists craft a new musical language. Yahya Hussein Abdallah vocals Jasser Haj Youssef viola d’amore Executive Producer Fairouz Nishanova Camera Conor Reilly, Beth Chalmers, Lewis Raeburn & Mauro Silva Sound Mixing Jean Madani Director & Editor Mauro Matos e Silva