Ghalia Benali

Ghalia Benali is one of the great cross-border artists between Arabic music and poetry as well as Western styles. The Belgian-Tunisian singer and composer blends Arabic Maquam music with jazz, flamenco, and free improvisation; her deep contralto voice and extraordinary stage presence have earned her the nickname "Aretha Franklin of Carthage." After concerts in 2017 at Kampnagel and most recently last year in the sold-out Great Hall of the Elbphilharmonie, she is now performing in the large hall at Kampnagel with a chamber ensemble, presenting a program of music and poetry from the Arabic-speaking world – and demonstrating how energetically the Arabic singing heritage can be revitalized and made captivatingly accessible to new generations.