Les Dames du raï: a tribute to the forgotten pioneers of Oranese music

In spring 2025,Cabaret Sauvage will present Les Dames du raï, a musical show conceived and co-directed by Méziane Azaïche, a major figure on the North African music scene in France, in collaboration with Géraldine Bénichou. Written by Rabah Mezouane, this creation blends live music, historical accounts and poetic scenography to retrace the history of the first female Raï singers in colonial Algeria. Inspired by the spirit of the Barbès Café, this new project is festive, committed and profoundly humanist.

Les Dames du raï will explore the roots of raï in western Algeria, and in particular the role of the Cheikhates, marginalized female singers who, from the 1930s onwards, dared to defy prohibition by singing subversive lyrics against a backdrop of colonial domination and patriarchal rigor. Through narratives, projected archives and live musical performances, the show evokes the trajectory of mythical figures such as Cheikha Rimitti, Kheira Guendil and Zohra Bent Oûda, while giving voice to the contemporary heirs to this musical heritage.

Les Dames du raï would appeal as much to fans of world music as to enthusiasts of the social and cultural history of the Maghreb. It could also appeal to younger audiences curious to discover a form of artistic resistance little represented on French stages. Thanks to a cast combining established raï artists and musicians from the world of Le Cabaret Sauvage (Fella Amina Mokrane, Hadjla Mama Razouki, Ptit Moh, etc.), Les Dames du raï offers an immersive experience, at the crossroads of concert and documentary theater. On the other hand, those looking for a classic narrative, or a purely fictional staging, might be less moved by this hybrid, documentary form.

This show/tribute will benefit from a creative residency between December 2024 and April 2025, before its first performances on April 11 and 12, 2025 at the Cabaret Sauvage in Paris. Les Dames du raï will return in the autumn for a series of dates from September 5 to 28. Highlighting the status of women in the history of raï is one of the main themes of the show, with the ambition of passing on to new generations a part of our oral and musical heritage.

With Les Dames du raï, Méziane Azaïche continues his exploration of the popular memories of the Arab world through an artistic tribute to the women who shaped raï in the shadows. True to the Cabaret Sauvage DNA, the show would blend traditional music, intimate stories and social commitment in a festive, immersive atmosphere. It's a proposal that's part of a process of transmission and dialogue between cultures.

This article is based on information contained in the press kit for the show Les Dames du raï. The show has not been viewed by the editorial team.

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