Beit Al-Sehemi Al-Gamaliya, Al-Darb Al-Asfar Alley, Al-Muaaz St, Tel 2591 3391 Every Sunday, 8.30pm: The Nile Troupe for Folk Instruments, conducted by Abdel-Rahman Al-Shafaai performs dances and songs from Upper Egypt on mizmar, tabla and other traditional musical instruments. Every Friday, 8.30pm: A performance by clowns in Al Muiz Street, entitled; Al Aragouz Wa Khayal Al Zel (The Shadow Puppet & Qarakoz show) We Will Come Right to the Audience…Free Theatre." The show is presented by Wamda groupfor Shadow Puppets and Qarakoz, directed by Nabil Bahgat.
Cairo Opera House Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Tel 2737 0602/2736 0361, box office 2739 0132/0144 The Cairo Opera House Summer Festival (23 July-31 August) *Open-Air Theatre Thur 20, 8pm: Harpist Yasmine Al-Harbi. Fri 21, 8pm: Oud recital by Dina Abdel-Hamid and Ghassan Al-Youssef. Sat 22, 8pm: Angham Al-Sharq (the East melodies) band features singer Ibrahim Farouk. Sun 23 , 8pm: Al-Ahlam (dreams) band features singerAhlam. Mon 24, 8pm: Nogoum Al-Tarab band features singer Mustafa Ahmed. Tue 25, 8pm: Singer Dalia Abdel-Wahab and her band. Wed 26, 8pm: Artist Manal Al-Gharabawi. Thur 27, 8pm: Mohamed Wahadi band.
Cairo Jazz Club 197, 26th July St, Agouza. Tel 3345 9939 Thur 20, 9.30pm: Funk Off/ Ali Goede. Fri 21, 9.30pm: French House and Nu Disco with Safi. Sat 22, 9.30pm: Osama Al-Hadi/ Al-Nafikha band. Sun 23, 9.30pm: Runaway by jazzist Michelle Rounds. Mon 24, 9.30pm: CJC anniversary. Tue 25, 9.30pm: Wust Al-Balad band. Wed 26, 9.30pm: A.K. Thur 27, 9.30pm: Vocalist Shadi Ahmed/ Glass Onion.
Al-Ghouri Caravansary Mohamed Abdou St, off Al-Moaiz St with Al-Azhar, Tel 2514 7475 every Sat, Mon & Wed, (9.30pm, free admission) Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes perform to live Sufi music.
Makan 1 Saad Zaghloul St, Al-Mounira, Cairo, Tel 2792 0878 Every Tuesday, 9pm (Doors open at 8.30pm): Mawawil features vocalists Hend and Sara in a repertoire of traditional music of the Nile Delta, Al Jaafra music played by Arab Tribes from Aswan and Nass Makan band. Every Monday: (fixed event)Zikr and Sufi night. Every Wednesday, 9pm: Zar music and songs by Mazaher ensemble featuring Umm Sameh, Umm Hassan and Nour Al-Sab.
El Mastaba Centre for Egyptian Folk Music 30 A El-Balaqsa St, Abdeen, Downtown. Tel 011 50995354 *Al Dammah Theatre for Free Arts Thur 20, 9pm:A special Sufi night with Zar Abul Gheit in a spiritual atmosphere. El Sawy Culturewheel End of 26th of July St, underneath the 15th of May Bridge, Zamalek, Tel 2736 8881/6178/2737 4448 *River Hall Fri 21, 7pm: Contemporary Egyptian songs by Al-Madina band. Sat 22, 8pm: Tunisian diva Ghalia Benali. Sun 23, 8pm: "The world is singing", a concert features singer Nesma Mahgoub in a repertoire of old and modern international songs. *Wisdom Hall Thur 20, 8pm: A singing recital by Alaa Abdel-Khalek. Fri 21, 7.30pm: A classical Arab music concert plays songs of the 1990's, led by Rami Abul-Fottouh. Sun 23, 7pm: Classical Arab music concert features Al-Asala Fi Rabiaa Al-Omr troupe plays classical Arab songs. Thur 27, 8pm: Stand-up Comedy features Mina Nader.
Salaheddin Citadel Salah Salem Rd, Mokattam, Cairo, Tel 2512 1735 The 24th Salaheddin Citadel Music Festival *Al-Mahka I Theatre Thur 20, 8pm: The opening ceremony featuresthe Cairo Steps Jazz band (Egypt/Germany), founded by oud player Bassem Darwish, accompanied on stage by Sufi munshid Zein Mahmoud, Coptic chanter Maher Fayez, together with a number of German musicians and the concert guest of honour flautist Ines Abdel-Dayem and oboist Wessam Amin. The Cairo Steps band will play its own repertoire blending different genres of Egyptian, classical and electronic music, together with contemporary jazz in a Sufi style. Fri 21, 8pm:Said Al-Artist plays on tabla. Sat 22, 8pm: GuitaristSherif Mustafa andAl-Tanboura troupe from Port-Said performs traditional music and dances derived from the Suez Canal area. Sun 23, 8pm: Boughdadi Orchestra and Emdan Al-Nour troupe. Mon 24, 8pm: Pianist Fathi Salama. Tue 25, 8pm: Wave Jazz band. Wed 26, 8pm : The EgyptianMawlawiya troupe, led by Amer Al-Toni performs Sufi songs and music. Thur 27, 8pm: Harpist Manal Mohieddin. *Al-Mahka II Theatre Fri 21, 10pm: Pop singerEhab Tawfiq. Sat 22, 10pm: Pop singer Nadia Mustafa. Sun 23, 10pm: Pop singer Magd Al-Qassem. Mon 24, 8pm: Singer Loaai. Tue 25, 8pm: Singer Khaled Selim. Wed 26, 8pm: Singer Mohamed Al-Helw. Thur 27, 8pm: Pop singer Medhat Saleh in a repertoire of his best as well as classical Arab songs.
Umm Kulthoum Museum 1 Al Malek Al Saleh St, Manial Al-Roda, Tel 2363 1467 Thur 27, 8pm: Shabab Al Fan (the youth of art) band, led by Ahmed Al- Amari.
ALEXANDRIA
Bibliotheca Alexandrina Chatby, Alexandria 21526, Tel (03) 4839999 The 13th International Summer Festival (30 July-4 September) *Open-Air Theatre Thur 20, 8.30pm:Nour Ashourproject and American band. Fri 21, 8.30pm:Pop singer Hanan Madiin a programme of classical and modern Arab songs. Sat 22, 8.30pm:Cairo Steps Jazzband(Egypt/Germany). Sun 23, 8.30pm:Karakeeb band andHossam Hosni. Mon 24, 8.30pm:Shaware3na band. Tue 25 & Wed 26, 8.30pm:Pianist Omar Khayrat and theBA Orchestra. Thur 27, 8.30pm:Basheer band.