The 28th Arab Music Festival will open on 1 November at the Cairo Opera House and will continue for 12 days featuring 37 concerts and 92 artists from Egypt and the Arab world. Mohamed Mounir, the Egyptian superstar dubbed “The King” who is among the festival's honorees, will give the opening concert. Mounir began his music career in the 1970s and quickly gained an international reputation, building his fame by collaborating with famous poets and lyricists like Salah Jahin, Abdel-Rahman El-Abnoudy, Fouad Haddad, Ahmed Fouad Negm, Sayed Hegab and Abdel-Rehim Mansour. In addition to reviving many Nubian folk tunes, Mounir has worked with other famed musicians like Yehia Khalil, Fathy Salama, Hani Shenouda, Ahmed Mounib, Aziz El-Nasser and Wagih Aziz in a variety of genres. He released many albums and singles, many of which reached top of the charts in Egypt and the Arab world. Mounir has also appeared in many films, including director Youssef Chahine's Al-Maseer (Destiny), which competed in the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. He has also starred in TV series, such as El-Moghanny (The Singer), and appeared in a few ad campaigns. Mounir is among the 12 honorees at the 28th Arab Music Festival. Other artists honoured are: singers Reham Abdel-Hakim and Mai Farouk, Bahraini musician Wahid Khan, Egyptian musicians Amr Ismail, Adel Iskandar, Moheb Fouad Mehany, Hisham El Araby, poet Farouk Gouida (Egypt), poet and writer Karim Odeh (Iraq), researcher Salwa El Shawan and Arabic calligraphy artist Hamdy Zayed. The festival's opening celebrations will take place at the Cairo Opera grounds where students of the Talents Development Centre will showcase their musical skills.
During the opening, two exhibitions dedicated to Arabic calligraphy will be launched, including the solo exhibition by artist Hamdy Zayed who is among the festival's honorees. The 12 days of the festival will include concerts by 92 artists from seven Arab countries (Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, JordanMorocco, Syria, and Oman) performing at the Cairo Opera House as well as numerous venues operating under the opera: El-Gomhoreya Theatre, Arab Music Institute, Alexandria Opera House, and Damanhour Opera House. Among 81 known singers to take part in the festival are (order loosely based on their appearance in the festival's schedule): Mohamed Mounir (Egypt), Rehab Motawa (Egypt), Saad Ramadan (Lebanon), Medhat Saleh (Egypt), Mai Farouk (Egypt), Marwan Khoury (Lebanon), Hani Shaker (Egypt), Angham (Egypt), Riham Abdel Hakim (Egypt), Marwa Naji (Egypt), Wael Jassar (Lebanon), Hammam Ibrahim (Iraq), Faya Younan (Syria), Carmen Soliman (Egypt) , Mohamed El Sharnoby (Egypt), Asala (Syria), Hanan Mady (Egypt), Waad Bahri (Syria) among others. In addition, the festival will feature 11 soloists: pianist Amr Selim (Egypt), guitarist Wahid Mamdouh (Jordan), violinist Jihad Akl (Lebanon), qaoun player Furat Qaddouri (Iraq), oud player Mamdouh Al-Jabali (Egypt), cellist Imad Ashour, oud player Majed Sorour (Egypt), pianist Omar Khairat (Egypt), violinist Hassan Sharara (Egypt), oud player Afaf Shoukry (Egypt), and lute player Walid Salama (Egypt). For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
