Culture Events: Picks for the Weekend

Cairo has a limited yet rich set of cultural events this weekend; Ahram Online's arts and culture team pick their recommendations, Thursday through Saturday (1-3 August)

Thursday 1 August
Ghalia Ben Ali at El-Geneina Theatre, 9pm
Tunisian musician and actress Ghalia Ben Ali will be performing in place of the originally scheduled Iraqi singer Baidar Al-Basri on Thursday as part of the annual Hayy Festival. Ghalia Ben Ali is known for fusing elements of Arabic classical music with jazz and Indian tunes. Her voice varies from Arabic folk and jazz traditions to contemporary chillout, mixing different genres and cultural traditions. Read more here.
El-Genaina Theatre, Al-Azhar Park, Salah Salem Rd., Cairo
Mawaweel festival at Darb 1718, 9pm
The Mawaweel Festival, which aims to bring a new cultural flavour to the Cairo Ramadan experience, will host this year's final event on Thursday. Two short films will be screened: 'Noor' by Ahmed Ibrahim and 'Bahari' by Ahmed Ghoneimy. A number of bands will perform at night including Masar Egbari (Compulsory Detour), an alternative Egyptian music band from Alexandria; Salalem, an indie-pop band whose songs deal with the lives of Egyptian young people; and Basheer, who perform folk music with a modern twist. The event will also include performances of tanoura, a traditional Egyptian dance, fire dancing, art exhibitions, and activities and workshops for children.Read more here.
Kasr El-Shamaa Street, El-Fakhareen – Old Cairo
(Behind the Hanging Church and Amr Ibn Al-As Mosque)
Eftekasat's Sufi jazz at Sufi Bookstore, 9pm
As part of their series of Ramadan concerts, Egyptian oriental and contemporary jazz band Eftekasat will feature religious chants from Upper Egypt, mixing Sufi musical heritage with Egyptian melodies.Religious chanter Mahmoud El-Ranan, from Esna, Qena, will join Eftekasat to present a new blend of traditional and modern musical performance.
12 Sayek Bakry street, Zamalek, Cairo
Friday 2 August
Khansa Batma (Morocco) in El-Geneina Theatre, 9pm
Moroccan artist Khansa Batma will be closing the Hayy Festival in El-Geneina Theatre this Ramadan. The popular singer (who is also an activist and model) mixes folkloric Moroccan tunes with rock and international music.
El-Genaina Theatre, Al-Azhar Park, Salah Salem Rd., Cairo
Open Mic Night on 'Stereotyping' in Bikya Maadi, 9pm
Mashrou' El-Mareekh, who regularly hosts open mics and other activities promoting freedom of expression, team up with Masterpeace, a movement promoting peace, to present an open mic with the theme of 'Stereotyping.' People are encouraged to talk, sing, dance, or do whatever they want in a slot of 5 minutes. The open mic will be repeated again on Saturday in front of El Sawy Culturewheel.
40 Al-Hadaek St., off Road 9, Maadi, Cairo
Saturday 3 August
El-Ghouri Tanoura Group in Wekalet El-Ghouri, 9.30pm
Expect traditional dance, vibrant music and colourful performances by El-Ghouri Dance Group this Saturday. They perform every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.
3 Mohamed Abdou Street, behind Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo
Khadra 2013, collective exhibition at Darb 1718
Until 17 August, artwork by 15 artists from the Arab world will be showcased at Darb 1718 in Cairo in a collective show entitled 'Khadra.' Tackling political, social, cultural and religious themes in their work, this selection of artists from Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and Palestine provides a snapshot into the region's budding visual contemporary art scene.
Kasr El-Shamaa Street, El-Fakhareen – Old Cairo
(Behind the Hanging Church and Amr Ibn Al-As Mosque)
Please note that due to political events it is advised to confirm with the spaces concerned that the event is still taking place before going.
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