Fira Mediterrània in Marseille to participate in Babel Med

A stand will be availble for registered delegates to present their artistic proposals to perform in Manresa

A round table with Fira and a Catalan co-production in this French market

Fira Mediterrània of Manresa is travelling to Marseille (France) this week to participate in the eighth edition of Babel Med Music, to be held from 29th to 31st March. Babel Med is one of the main international music markets in the world with 2,500 international delegates and a professional area with 138 stands. Fira has been invited to participate in a round table and there will also be a stand where artistic proposals will be presented, to perform at the 15th edition of the Manresa Fair, to be held from 8th to 11th November. The proposals to form part of the Mediterrània Professional Meeting network, the programme of professional actions developed within the Manresa Business area, including products and services, will also be handed out from the stand. The Fira stand is sponsored by Cervesa Rosita and Vermouth Yzaguirre, partners of Manresa in international actions.

Under the title “World Music festivals as privileged areas to create and export music”, Babel Med has organized a round table as meeting and exchange point between different delegates of the world of culture from different countries, and to promote the work carried out by these delegates in their different fields. This meeting is planned to take place on Friday 30th from 4.30 to 6 pm. Fira Mediterrània has been asked to participate for the first time, together with artistic markets from throughout the world, such as Womex and the Australia World Music Event. Jordi Bertran, managing director of Fira Mediterrània will share the table with Anna Poetzsh (Womex), Cristina Fina (Medimex–Italy), Jérôme Galabert (Ioma Reunion Island -France), Lilian Goldstein (Sacem –France), Patrice Mazzone (AWME – Australian World Music Event), JaïTchong (Music Center Netherland – Holland), Ipek Gemicioglu (from WOMIST –Turkey), José Da Silva (Cape Verde) and the artists Mory Kanté (Guinea) and Thierry Abmon (also from Reunion Island).

A co-production of Fira in Marseille

Babel Med congregates over 2,500 registered delegates and its programme includes 30 performances by groups from all over the world on three different stages. One of the scheduled groups is the Cobla Catalana dels Sons Essencials with their performance co-produced by Fira Mediterrània of Manresa and the Centre for the Promotion of Traditional Folk Culture of the Department of Culture of the Catalan Government, with the collaboration of the Auditorium of Barcelona and the Xarxa de les Cases de la Música (Musica Association). It held its premiere performance at the last edition of Fira.

In this performance, programmed for Thursday 29th at 8.45 pm, Marcel Casellas will be accompanied by a group of virtuoso instrumentalists: Jordi Campos (Catalan shawm and alto saxophone), Alfons Rojo (guitar and guitarró), Toni Rocosa (tenora, clarinet and percussion), Jordi Gómez (fiscorn and trombone), Joan Aguiar (percussion and violin), Joan Moliner (flabiol and sac de gemecs), Ivó Oller (trumpet) and Xarli Olivé (drums). They all play a blend of classic cobla with other sound elements of Catalan and Mediterranean folk music, and give the audience a range of surprising tones which go beyond the sense of time and space, with an original, extraordinarily colourful repertoire which enriches the concept of the cobla.

During the three days of Babel Med, Fira will be on stand number 4. Fira will assemble two canvases on the stand, one with an image of the next edition of Fira Mediterrània and the other with an image of a Castell (human tower) with the aim of promoting at international level the world of human towers after they were declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco in 2010.

Hotel Arts beer with the Fira

Fira expedition to Marseille include the sponsorship of Cervesa Rosita, thanks to which the Fira from Manresa will be able to offer a reception to all registered delegates at Babel Med, to take place on Friday 30th at 12.30 pm. International delegations capture the attention of visiting delegates with these receptions. Cervesa Rosita which has decided to make a firm commitment in internationalizing its products, will take the opportunity of promoting Rosita Blue, an exclusive beer created by Paco Pérez, a prestigious chef and holder of a Michelin star, David Expósito, the sommelier of Hotel Arts Barcelona, and Toni Gata, the sommelier of Miramar in Llancà. Rosita Blue is an excellent quality beer with a unique and innovative taste.

Vermouth Yzaguirre with Catalan! Music

This year, the company Vermouth Yzaguirre is joining the expedition from Manresa as a sponsor, with the aim of internationalizing its brand and open up new markets. Yzaguirre is contributing part of the furniture of the Fira stand and will offer a reception planned for Saturday 31st at 12.30 pm by Catalan!Music from the Catalan Institute of Cultural Companies of the Department of Culture of the Catalan Government, which will also be present in Marseille. Catalan!Music will be on stand 26 to promote various cultural companies of Catalonia.