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Thousands of people then broke into dance as South Africa's Johnny Clegg, a musician internationally renowned as the "White Zulu" for mixing English and Zulu lyrics and rhythms, took to the stage.
"Thank you for this homage to a great man who played an important role in my life and in the world," Clegg, 61, said in French, after belting out his hit 80s ode to Mandela "Asimbonanga" (We have not seen him).
He melded his voice with that of another African great, Senegal's Youssou N'dour, in a medley including N'dour's song "Nelson Mandela", which he wrote in 1985 after spending hours in Dakar "watching the news on apartheid with my mom".
"At that moment, you really felt as if the image of Nelson Mandela was soaring over the stage," said French festival-goer Michel Pautel after the three-hour double concert.
The show fell on the day that Mandela's family marked the traditional end of mourning -- six months after his death on December 5 at the age of 95, after a long illness -- which prompted a global outpouring of grief.
It also came as excerpts were published from a book by a longtime aide to South Africa's first black president, that tells of family squabbles as Mandela lay in hospital fighting for his life.
"Good Morning, Mr Mandela" by Zelda la Grange, his personal assistant for 19 years, is due for official release Thursday.
The Moroccan music festival, which is celebrating its 20th edition, ends on Saturday.
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"Thank you for this homage to a great man who played an important role in my life and in the world," Clegg, 61, said in French, after belting out his hit 80s ode to Mandela "Asimbonanga" (We have not seen him).
He melded his voice with that of another African great, Senegal's Youssou N'dour, in a medley including N'dour's song "Nelson Mandela", which he wrote in 1985 after spending hours in Dakar "watching the news on apartheid with my mom".
"At that moment, you really felt as if the image of Nelson Mandela was soaring over the stage," said French festival-goer Michel Pautel after the three-hour double concert.
The show fell on the day that Mandela's family marked the traditional end of mourning -- six months after his death on December 5 at the age of 95, after a long illness -- which prompted a global outpouring of grief.
It also came as excerpts were published from a book by a longtime aide to South Africa's first black president, that tells of family squabbles as Mandela lay in hospital fighting for his life.
"Good Morning, Mr Mandela" by Zelda la Grange, his personal assistant for 19 years, is due for official release Thursday.
The Moroccan music festival, which is celebrating its 20th edition, ends on Saturday.
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