With a 2.8 Million Dinar Budget: Bizerte International Festival Unveils Its 43rd Edition Program
Amid a festive atmosphere and notable media and artistic presence, Bizerte International Festival director Lotfi Sfaxi revealed the details of the artistic program for the 43rd edition of this long-standing summer event, during a press conference held in the lobby of the Spanish Fort Theatre — the iconic venue that has hosted the festival's evenings for decades and stands as a prominent cultural landmark for the city of Bizerte.
This edition arrives with a rich artistic lineup and a budget estimated at around 2.8 million dinars, promising Tunisian and Arab audiences an exceptional artistic summer running from July 17 to August 19 — nearly a full month of diverse evenings blending music and theatre.
A Captivating Mix: 18 Shows Combining Tradition and Innovation
This year, the open-air theatre's evenings will feature 18 diverse artistic performances, with prominent names from the Tunisian and Arab scenes. The standout feature of this edition lies in its bet on joint performances, or "duets," which will form the festival's highlight through three exceptional evenings bringing together Arab and Tunisian creativity:
First Meeting: Young Syrian star Al Shami joins distinguished Tunisian artist Mortadha Ftiti, in an encounter expected to blend youthful energy with authentic Tunisian performance.
Second Meeting: A true evening of Tarab (traditional Arabic music) bringing together Lebanese artist Wael Jassar and Tunisian star Raouf Maher, in a lineup promising a warm musical night.
Third Meeting: A special artistic pairing bringing together Tunisian artist Iman Chérif and Egyptian star Ehab Tawfik, on the night of July 30, in an event expected to unite audiences from both countries.
Opening and Closing: A Pure Tunisian Signature
True to its local artistic identity, the festival's management chose to entrust its opening and closing nights to creative Tunisian voices. The opening evening on July 17 will be led by rising artist Aya Dagnoudj in a Tarab-focused evening, while the curtain falls on the edition on August 19 with Arab Tarab icon Saber Rebaï, who will close the season with his most beloved songs.
Arab Stars Light Up Bizerte's Nights
Between the opening and closing, art lovers will enjoy a lineup of some of the brightest names in Arab and Maghreb song, who will enrich the festival's evenings — among them Algerian star Cheb Mami, Lebanese pop star Ramy Ayach, Lebanese artist Adam, alongside renowned Moroccan composer and arranger Boudechar.
With this diversity of names and artistic styles, the city of Bizerte is preparing to open its arms to culture and art lovers in an edition promising plenty of excitement and variety, once again affirming its international festival's status as one of the leading summer artistic events in Tunisia and the Arab world — a destination not to be missed by lovers of nightlife and refined art.
