A night of Malouf magic
At the headquarters of Algerian Radio, the spirit of Andalusian music filled the air on Saturday night as renowned malouf singer Abbas Righi treated the audience to a refined musical evening in the hall of Lamine Bechichi. The concert, held as part of the Ramadan cultural programme, unfolded like a carefully woven tapestry of melodies, drawing music lovers into the timeless world of Constantine’s malouf heritage.
From the very first notes of the instrumental touchia, the tone was set. Like a gentle breeze before the storm of emotion, the introduction opened the door to a rich musical journey. Righi’s voice soon followed, warm and confident, gliding effortlessly through a traditional istikhbar that revealed the delicate ornamentation and depth of this centuries-old art.
One by one, beloved classics of the malouf repertoire blossomed on stage. Songs such as Ya qalbi khalli el hal and Ah ya sidi rassi echoed through the hall, their poetic verses and intricate melodies reminding listeners that this music is more than performance it is living memory passed down from generation to generation.
As the evening gathered pace, the rhythm shifted from the measured elegance of the m’saddar and btayhi to the more vibrant pulse of derj and insiraf. By the time the final khlass arrived, the hall was alive with applause, the audience clapping along as if carried by the same musical current.
Backed by an ensemble of oud, qanoun, violins, mandole and traditional percussion, Righi proved once again why he stands among the finest voices of the Constantine malouf school. Born in 1984 and trained from a young age in the arabo-andalusian tradition, the artist has steadily carved his path, notably winning top interpretation prizes at the National Malouf Festival in 2008 and 2009.
On this Ramadan night, however, it was not awards that mattered. What lingered in the air was the magic of music itself a moment when past and present danced together, and when Abbas Righi, quite simply, had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.