The meeting of two immense musicians, Yo-Yo Ma and Angélique Kidjo, one associated with the world of classical music, the other with more diverse musical genres, from world music to jazz. Both demonstrate a rare curiosity and inspiration.
Angélique Kidjo has made several forays into the world of "learned" music, notably collaborating with Philip Glass on Yoruba Songs. Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Angélique Kidjo, each accompanied by a musician, set out to create a concert that explores the times and places where classical and African music intersected. It's an opportunity to rediscover stalwarts of the repertoire - such as Ravel's Bolero, to which Kidjo has added lyrics - or to discover other rare pieces.
Yo-Yo and Angélique can also explore other ideas for working together: Johann Sebastian Bach composed a large number of sarabands. Mozart's unfinished opera Zaïde is about the African slave trade. Other surprises include readings of texts by Senghor and Césaire, accompanied by the sound of Yo-Yo Ma's cello.
Five-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo is now one of the world's leading music artists, with thirteen original albums to her credit. Time Magazine consider as "the unique diva African" and BBC ranks her in the fifty most emblematic personalities of the African continent.
Appearances can be deceiving, but Yo-Yo is definitely Parisian! Issued from Chinese parents certainly, the young prodigy discovered a passion for the cello, transmitted by its father, as soon as its 4 years. A few years later, then new-yorker, he integrates the Juilliard School and pursues his studies at Harvard. Winner of numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Polar Music Prize, to name but a few, he has played for nine American presidents, most recently at the inauguration of President Biden.
On stage, Yo-Yo plays his versatility among the 1733 Montagnana cello from Venice, the 1712 Davidoff Stradivarius and a 2003 instrument made by Moes & Moes.
