The largest music festival on the globe in North America displayed the colors of its 40 years of existence, Tuesday May 26 at the Fairmount Theater. Thirteen days without musical interruption, on all continents, which move and vibrate.
The public is thus invited to visit around thirty countries through the culture of their rhythms, all with the help of more than 700 artists who will be present in the metropolis in July. A long, internationally united family history that general director Suzanne Rousseau remembers, not without pride.
The Touré-Rousseau touch
The excitement can be heard in the voice of the woman who was in her twenties when she joined forces with the founder of Nuits d’Afrique, Lamine Touré. An inspiring and charismatic being from Guinea-Conakry, coming from the pure tradition of the National Ballet. Mohamed Lamine Touré, “the baobab of Montreal”, pillar of the legendary Balattou club, settled on the Main in 1974. We owe him, recalls Suzanne Rousseau, the primary meaning of the festival: human welcome. “The recipe for the success of the event since its creation is that everyone feels welcome, the artists and the public alike. » A new concert will be held for him on July 11 at the MTelus with several of his compatriots.
A festival of all cultures, with the cosmopolitan backdrop of Montreal as a panorama, the Nuits d’Afrique International Festival stands out from any other major event in Europe and the United States, according to its general director. The artists say they feel at home, and not like products to be marketed. “The Touré-Rousseau touch”, being for their attention, whether they are local or international. Everyone should come away with a feeling of contentment.
“Their home is here, and we have always created concepts with them.”
Among its big names, African stars Meiway – composer of the special anthem 2026 United by the NightsOumou Sangaré, Tabou Combo, and Tiken Jah Fakoly who gave his testimony at the launch, calling the event an “ambassador festival of Africa in North America”.
FINA’s reputation resonates with Peter Gabriel, who also expressed his admiration for its positive and peaceful formula in a world that badly needs cohesion.
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Combining music and knowledge
For Suzanne, it is always a privilege to experience this FINA adventure. Its driving force: learning about other cultures through the infinite richness of music. Despite the funding challenge, the financial cuts in the performing arts, the attachment of the Nuits d’Afrique family is stronger than anything. Her pride is in helping to grow the organization, in seeing a generational unity in the heart of summer. One of the rare festivals without clashes between teenagers and adults, she rejoices.
To reach such a large audience, all chances are good, influences coexist, from the Creole space, to the Americas, from Africa in its distinct socio-cultural components. It is important, for Ms. Rousseau, to understand the history of music, its foundations in order to combat prejudice and acculture. “Many people still believe that Africa is a homogeneous whole where we only dance!” she laments. We often reduce this continent to percussion.”
Sensitive to young people, the meeting is also intended to be educational, transmitting connections between current music and its roots of yesterday. The festival opens up dimensions of anthropological and social knowledge beneficial to certain Afro-descendant communities who find there an environment of identity enhancement.
Thanks to its eight series, FINA supports music lovers in their choice of immersion. Concerts organized in six rooms including the Gesù and its classic Nuit de la kora, a more meditative experience with the setar of Kiya Tabassian and the kora of Ablaye Cissokho. The major events open on the Parterre du Quartier des Spectacles will be in full swing from July 14 to 19 at 10 p.m., with world names like the Guadeloupean Admiral T, the Congolese Fulu Miziki and the militant reggae master Tiken Jah Fakoly closing on Sunday July 19.
