The Canadian Arabic Orchestra presents their third annual Festival of Arabic Music and Arts (FAMA) from October 25^th to November 10, 2019 in a variety of venues across the Greater Toronto Area, in Montreal, and for the first time in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  FAMA is a rich music and arts festival with well-known Arabic and Canadian artists coming together for 2 weeks to celebrate the cultural diversity of our country and to communicate a message of shared, yet personal human experiences. 

By presenting Arabic music with Indigenous, Flamenco, Greek, Jazz and other traditional music from other cultures, they honour all Canadians and convey a strong message of unity and intercultural understanding at a time of rising xenophobia to an audience of all backgrounds across the country.  The Canadian Arabic Orchestra performs for all Canadians and showcases Arabic music and arts, as intrinsic components of the Canadian arts scene.

The GTA FAMA concerts will open with diva Carole Samaha at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga on October 25 and she will repeat her performance in Montreal at Salle Claude Champagne on October 27.

Hamza Namira’s “I Dream” will fill the Jane Mallet Theatre with the sounds of jazz, pop and classics on October 26, followed by a Flamenco Night with Naseer Shamma & Orontes on November 1 at the Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.   Singer Marwa Nagi “A Tribute to Warda and Baleegh” performs on November 3 at the Jane Mallet Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre in Toronto.

On November 2, Small Wonders “Reminisce with Remi Bendali” will be featured at the Meadowvale Theatre in Mississauga. 

On November 7 and 8, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto will host a Greek Arabia concert (Nov. 7) and a Maghrebian Night (Nov. 8) featuring the Canadian Arabic Orchestra.

November 8^th, sees the launch of the acclaimed play Besbous a satirical take on the Arab spring, presented over 2 weeks at Crowe’s Theatre in Leslieville in partnership with the Distillery District’s Pleiades Theater; throughout the duration of the play’s run, The Exhibit of Hope will be displaying paintings and photographs by young artists in the lobby.

Other Toronto area concerts include a grand finale with the Canadian Arabic Orchestra Choir and Musicians with Syrian Drama Music’s top composer Taher Mamilli at the John Bassett Theatre at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 10.

FAMA will be touring to Montreal with Naseer Shamma, Carole Samaha and the comedy show Joe Show, and will be performing with singer Marwa Nagi in Halifax for the first time during FAMA.  The Canadian Arabic Orchestra just completed a successful 7 city sold out tour of B.C. Alberta, Quebec and Nova Scotia last spring. The Canadian Arabic Orchestra is a professional registered charity dedicated to reviving classical Arabic music while celebrating the freedom and diversity of Canada’s cultural landscape.

Visit canadianarabicorchestra.ca for more information on showtimes and ticket prices.