Montserrat Figueras, Lior Elmaleh, Gursoy Dincer - Mare Nostrum (2012)

Mare Nostrum (Latin for Our Sea ) was a Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most important
focal points of cultural, political and intellectual growth and exchange and dialogue in the history of humankind. In this lavishly illustrated CD-book, Jordi Savall and the musicians of Hespèrion XXI invite us to explore the facts, myths and legends of the Mediterranean and the sway it has had over many peoples and cultures from Morocco to Israel, from Spain to Lebanon. Also featured on the recording are soprano Montserrat Figueras and Israeli singer Lior Elmaleh, one of the leading representatives of the new generation of performers of Andalusian music.

Few artists today are as committed to exploring the fusion of musical cultures through history and the lessons that has for our own fractured age. --Gramophone

The set can't help feel like a memorial for Catalan soprano Montserrat Figueras [who] really does deliver some of her most penetrating singing. She easily navigates complicated Middle Eastern ornaments and often sings wordless vocal lines with color, inflection, and meaning that's beyond language. --The Philadelphia Inquirer