Exactly 800 years ago the most important inter religious encounter to date took place and an early rapprochement between Christianity and Islam: On the fringes of the Crusades Francis of Assisi and the Muslim Sultan Al Malik Al Kalimmet. The Pera Ensemble and Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay take a look at this historical meeting. They show how

music united different peoples and religions even then and create a creative synthesis of both worlds. Christian and Muslim songs, instrumental improvisations, laudas and Sufi songs from the 13th century are united by the Pera Ensemble, which unites internationally renowned specialists of historical performance practice from Europe and the elite of Turkish art musicians. The very meditative character of the Pera Ensemble allows the listener to quickly immerse himself in the world of musical dialogue and to feel how this music has managed to bring people together in peace. Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay itself is an example of the deep connection between these two cultures. Born in Istanbul and raised in Munich, Germany, Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay has earned a reputation as an important interpreter and musicologist through his world-wide appearances and extensive recordings “I began to study early music in the eighties. I believe, however, that our project "1219" is more concrete and draws its relevance not only from its occasion, but above all from its content".