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Culture Events: Picks for the Weekend This holiday weekend brings a diverse mix of culture events to those decided to stay put in Cairo and Alexandria; Ahram Online recommends dance performances, exhibitions and Indian and Chinese events 2-5 May
Thursday 2 May Two ballets to Egyptian composers' music, 8pm The Cairo Opera Ballet Company performs two works to the music of Egyptian composers: Oriental Steps by Attiya Sharara and The Nile ballet by Omar Khairat. The ballets are choreographed by late Abdel Moniem Kamel and Erminia Kamel. Cairo Opera Orchestra is conducted by Sherif Mohie Eddin. Last performances take place on Thursday 2 May and Friday 3 May. Read Ahram Online's review here. Main Hall, Cairo Opera House, Zamalek Yehia Khalil Band in Cairo Opera House, 8pm One of the most established jazz musicians in Egypt, Yehia Khalil brings his percussive beats and fellow musicians to the Opera House's Small Hall. Small Hall, Cairo Opera House, Zamalek, Cairo Massar Egbari concert in Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 8pm The band, which has played together for years in Alexandria and Cairo, boasts a unique sound, fusing rock and funk with oriental beats and melodies. Their lyrics tackle social issues while their concerts — especially in Alexandria — often prompt audiences to chant anti-establishment slogans. They have just released their first album this week. Read more on Massar Egbari and watch their first video here. Music Hall, Alexandria Library, Azarita, Alexandria Akher Zapheer (Jordan) in El-Geneina Theater, 8pm Jordanian musicians Akher Zapheer's music can be classified as indie rock with lyrics in colloquial Arabic. The band sings about existentialism, love and the state of alienation and have one released album in 2012 titled Converse Culture. Opening for Akher Zapheer is Egyptian musician Maii Waleed who sings on her personal experiences using her electric guitar and a band producing a rock, yet mellow sound. See El-Geneina's May programme here. Azhar Park, Salah Salem Road Darassa, Cairo Friday 3 May Face the Vitrine installation in Mahmoud Bassiouny Shopfront, 5pm Visual artist Ganzeer and media artist Yasmine Elayat's come together to put forward this shop window installation called Face the Vitrine on display for 30 days. It places a face in the vitrine, which is digitally programmed to follow passersby, opening conversations on privacy in a public space. Read more here. 11 Mahmoud Bassiouny Street Downtown, Cairo Nassim El-Raqs Festival in French Institute and Falaki Street, 7pm This weeklong contemporary dance festival takes place in several locations in Alexandria between 2-9 May. Tonight, a research exhibition designed by Hatem Hassan (Egypt) and Inga Lace (Latvia) called Inhabiting Space will be shown in the French Institute. At 8:30 next to the passport office on Falaky Street Zekrayat, choreographed by Yhlem Dekkiche (France) will be performed. 30, El Nabi Danial St., Mahatet El-Raml, Alexandria Violin and Piano recital at the Cairo Opera House, 8pm Violinist Hissam Shehata and pianist Elena Dzamashvili will perform works by Tartini, Wieniawski, Mozart and Chopin. Small Hall, Cairo Opera House, Zamalek Mrigya band from India at Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 8pm Mrigya band offers a rich blend of classical, blues, funk, folk, Latin and jazz music. Mrigya's line-up consists of six musician using Western instruments along with traditional instruments from India. Free entry. Their performance is part of India by the Nile festival. See the festival's full programme here. Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Small Hall El Shatby, Alexandria Saturday 4 May Broadway Night at the Cairo Opera House, 8pm Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jan Stulen from the Netherlands will perform Works by Bernstein and Gershwin, taking the audience into a journey through Broadway. The soloists of the evening are Mohamed Sharara on violin and Ralph van Raat on piano. Cairo Opera House, Main Hall Zamalek, Cairo Mrigya band from India at El-Sawy Culturewheel, 8pm Mrigya band offers a rich blend of classical, blues, funk, folk, Latin and jazz music. Mrigya's line-up consists of six musician using Western instruments along with traditional instruments from India. Their performance is part of India by the Nile festival. See the festival's full programme here. River Hall, 26th of July Street, Zamalek, Cairo Sunday 5 May 'Pinocchio: A Puppet's Story' in the Cairo Opera House, 8pm The production, created by Italian director and performer Massimiliano Finazzer Flory, combines narration, theatre, dance and music. With minimal props, the director suggests his own interpretation of the known Italian literary piece. The performance will also include two dancers: Francesca Lombardo and Chiara Taviani. The assistant director is Alessandro Santi. Pinocchio: A Puppet's Story has recently toured the United States where it was met with a great acclaim from the audiences. Cairo Opera House, Small Hall Zamalek, Cairo Opening ceremony of the Chinese Film Week and film screening at El Gomhouria Theatre, 7pm The Gomhouria Theatre will screen Chinese films as part of the Chinese Film Week initiative running between 5 - 8 May. The opening ceremony will begin at 7pm, followed by screening Under the Hawthorn Tree at 8pm. The film is directed by Zhang Yimou, starring: Zhu Dongyu, Dou Xiao, Yu Xinbo, Xi Meijuan, Jiang Ruijia. See complete programme of the Chinese Film Week here. 12 El-Gomhouria Street Downtown, Cairo Authors from India and Egypt in Conversation at El-Sawy Culturewheel, 6pm Contemporary Indian writers: Amish Tripathi, Mushiru Hasan and Namita Gokhale will join a discussion panel with other Egyptian prominent writers and public figures, such as Galal Amin, Kamilia Sobhy, Ahdaf Soueif, Amr Hamzawy. Free entry. The event is part of India by the Nile festival. See the festival's full programme here. Word Hall, 26th of July Street Zamalek, Cairo Localitéexhibition at 6 Contemporary Arts Localité is an exhibition featuring works by Hanan El-Sheikh, Khaled Akl, Malak El-Shazly and Nihal Wahby. The group's paintings, at 6 Contemporary Arts in Cairo, sparks questions about the relationships between the bustling urban cityscapes and the individuals who inhabit them. The exhibition runs until 16 May. Read more here. 6 Salah El-Din Street, Zamalek, Cairo Follow Arts and Culture updates on Twitter:@AhramOnlineArtsand on our Facebook page:Ahram Online: Arts and Culture http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/70533.aspx
