The 14th edition of the Printemps musical des alizés has come to an end, following a long weekend during which the class and grace of classical music merged with the charm and conviviality of the city of Essaouira, creating an almost magical atmosphere. Thus, one could encounter, in the same concert hall, seasoned musicians, young talents, fine connoisseurs, simple laypeople, and sometimes just curious onlookers, each admiring in their own way a classical music that descends from its ivory tower to meet the general public. The result is a unique ambiance that seems to enchant even musicians accustomed to a completely different type of audience. “Sometimes, we are in front of an audience that listens very well but communicates less. So, every time we find ourselves in front of a warm audience, it is something exceptional. There is a particularly warm and friendly atmosphere here,” Patrice Fontanarosa, violinist and professor at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, indicated to the MAP. The same sentiment was echoed by the young South Korean musician Da-Min Kim (violin). “What captivated me is the fact that this festival is open to the public. Everyone can listen to classical music almost everywhere in the city,” he confided. “I think it is pleasant and very important to make classical music known and share it with a wide audience,” he stressed. This 14th edition ended on a note of renewal and renovation, with a closing concert performed at Dar Souiri by the Ensemble Contraste, which tends to reinvent the limits of the classical concert by placing the audience at the centre of its approach, while forging a style made of diversity, spontaneity, and arrangements that allow for an original adaptation of classical music to tango, musical comedy, jazz, and contemporary creation.