SHIRAZ

Dhafer Youssef is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive musical voices of our time; his artistry transcends borders, languages, and genres. As a child in his native Tunisia, he was immersed in the Sufi tradition of Islamic music-a heritage deeply rooted in themes of love, a mystical understanding of human existence, and the spirituality hidden beneath reality. In 1990, Dhafer Youssef left Tunisia for Vienna, embarking on a career that has defined him as a musician with a singular vision of how his music should sound: firmly rooted in Arabic traditions and Sufism, yet open to contemporary textures drawn from a variety of sources such as jazz, chamber music, rock, and even electronic music—leading to collaborations with iconic stars such as Markus Stockhausen, Marcus Miller, and Herbie Hancock. At Stresa, Youssef is joined by a band of rising talents: pianist Daniel García, trumpeter Mario Rom, bassist Swaéli Mbappée, and percussionist Tao Ehrlich. Shiraz, the title of this evening’s concert is named after Youssef’s wife, to whom the Tunisian artist dedicated his latest recording: ‘The music reflects what Shiraz thinks and feels’