Amadou & Mariam
Eclipse
14 - 16 July 2011
New Century Hall
© Patricia Bailer
Malian musical superstars Amadou & Mariam returned to Manchester for MIF11 to present three totally unique performances; their first concerts staged entirely in the dark.
Married for more than 25 years, Amadou and Mariam met in the orchestra of The Institute for the Young Blind in Bamako. Since then, their magical fusion of pop, blues and Malian music has won them fans and stellar collaborators around the world.
Eclipse tells the story of Amadou & Mariam’s life and work together, featuring songs from across their career including the premiere of tracks from their forthcoming album.
An entirely blacked out New Century Hall was the venue for this unforgettable sensory experience.
Featuring:
Amadou Bagayoko – Guitar, Singer
Mariam Doumbia – Singer
Band includes:
Yves Adabi – Drums
Yao Dembele – Bass
Boubacar Dembele – Percussion
Idrissa Soumaoro – Keyboards
Mamani Keita – Backing vocals
Madou Diabate – Kora
Ahmed Fofana – Peule Flute and Balafon
Texts by Hamadoun Tandina, translated by Jo Gunton and narrated by Isaach de Bankolé
If you cannot see, your sense of
sound becomes richer. You appreciate
the qualities of sound. That’s one
reason I wanted to have a series of
concerts in the darkness. I wanted
the audiences to try to hear the
music just as Mariam and I hear it.
Amadou Bagayoko
Dates
14 – 16 July
Credits
Commissioned by Manchester International Festival.
Produced by Manchester International Festival, Amadou & Mariam, All Other Music and Because Music.
