Hespèrion XXI

Ibn Battuta: The Traveller of Time

with Jordi Savall

Featuring Assaad Bouab, Waed Bouhassoun, Driss El Maloumi, Katerina Papadopoulou, Nedyalko Nedyalkov, Rajery, Maria Chiara Gallo, and Furio Zanasi.

Journey into the unknown with musical pioneer Jordi Savall, his ensemble and guests, in a concert inspired by the 14th-century Islamic scholar Ibn Battuta.

For Ibn Battuta: The Traveller of Time, Savall assembles musicians from Europe and the Middle East, India, China and North Africa – alongside his own remarkable Hespèrion XXI early music ensemble – for a journey into the unknown with a man considered by many to be the greatest explorer in history: Ibn Battuta.

Born into a family of Islamic scholars in north Africa in the 14th century, Ibn Battuta travelled to the extremes of the world as it was then known, covering an estimated 120,000km from Europe to China, Russia to Sri Lanka. His writings provide fascinating glimpses into medieval life right across the globe. Savall’s evening-long excursion is an immense literary, historical, geographical and musical fresco that contrasts medieval European music with sounds from across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Assaad Bouab (narrator)
Waed Bouhassoun (voice and oud)
Driss El Maloumi (voice and oud)
Katerina Papadopoulou (voice)
Nedyalko Nedyalkov (kaval)
Rajery (voice and valiha)
Maria Chiara Gallo (soprano)
Furio Zanasi (baritone)

Barbican Centre & Milton Court
Mon, 17 March 2025
The Barbican Hall, London
7:30pm
From £15

Full Event Details

Journey into the unknown with musical pioneer Jordi Savall, his ensemble and guests, in a concert inspired by the 14th-century Islamic scholar Ibn Battuta.

For Ibn Battuta: The Traveller of Time, Savall assembles musicians from Europe and the Middle East, India, China and North Africa – alongside his own remarkable Hespèrion XXI early music ensemble – for a journey into the unknown with a man considered by many to be the greatest explorer in history: Ibn Battuta.

Born into a family of Islamic scholars in north Africa in the 14th century, Ibn Battuta travelled to the extremes of the world as it was then known, covering an estimated 120,000km from Europe to China, Russia to Sri Lanka. His writings provide fascinating glimpses into medieval life right across the globe. Savall’s evening-long excursion is an immense literary, historical, geographical and musical fresco that contrasts medieval European music with sounds from across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Assaad Bouab (narrator)
Waed Bouhassoun (voice and oud)
Driss El Maloumi (voice and oud)
Katerina Papadopoulou (voice)
Nedyalko Nedyalkov (kaval)
Rajery (voice and valiha)
Maria Chiara Gallo (soprano)
Furio Zanasi (baritone)