Amir Bashtak Palace Al-Muaaz St, Tel 02 2787 9187 Thurs 31 March, 7pm: Asatizat Al-Tarab (Singing Masters) troupe, conducted by maestro Medhat Abdel-Samiaa and featuring the singers Mahmoud Abdel-Hamid, Abeer Amin and Dahlia Farouk, will perform a number of songs by Mohamed Abdel-Wahab. The performance marks the anniversary of the birth of the late singer and composer.
Arab Music Institute 22 Ramsis St, Tel 02 2574 3373 Thurs 7 April, 8pm: The Abdel-Halim Noweira Arab Music Ensemble, conducted by Salah Ghoubashi, performs Umm Kulthoum songs.
Alrabaa Al-Gamaliya, Al-Muaaz St, next to Al-Aqmar Mosque, Dar Al-Tambakshiya Thurs 7,7-8.30 and 9-10pm:Tunisian singerGhalia Benali will sing a selection of her much-loved songs.
Beit Al-Sehemi Al-Gamaliya, Al-Darb Al-Asfar Alley, Al-Muaaz St, Tel 02 2591 3391 Every Sunday, 8.30pm: TheNile 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: “Al-Aragouz wa Khayal Al-Zel” (The Shadow Puppet), a free public performance by clowns in Al-Muiz Street, presented by Wamda and directed by Nabil Bahgat.
Cairo Opera House Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Tel 02 2737 0602/2736 0361, box office 02 2739 0132/0144 Main Hall Fri 1, 8pm: The Cairo Opera Company and Cairo Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Crescenzi, together with the Cairo Opera Ballet Company,choreographed by Erminia Kamel, and the Cairo Opera Choir present Verdi's opera “Aida”, with executive director Abdallah Saad, and directed by Abdel-Moneim Kamel. Sat 2, 8pm: The Cairo Symphony Orchestra performs a selection of international classics. Sun 3, 8pm: The Abdel-Halim Noweira Arab Music Ensemble, conducted by Salah Ghoubashi, performs classical Arabsongs. Mon 4 & Tues 5, 8pm: Pianist Omar Khayrat, accompanied by the Cairo Opera Orchestra, performs his well-known compositions. Open-Air Theatre Thurs 31, 8pm: Glass Onion band plays jazz music. Sat 2, 8pm: A concert celebrating the Francophone feasts. Thurs 7, 8pm: Emdan Al-Nour (The Light Pillars) band plays Coptic songs and hymns. Small Hall Fri 1, 8pm: The Talents Development Centre concert. Sat 2, 8pm: Rebroadcast of Puccini's three-act opera “Madama Butterfly”, performed by the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Sun 3, 8pm: A chamber music concert featuring Ashraf Sharara. Mon 4, 8pm: The Opera String Quartet. Tues 5, 8pm: Violin recital by Osman Al-Mahdi.
Cairo Opera House Entrance Thurs 31, 6pm:The Music in Cairo Streets project offers street music, including well-known songs by Mohamed Mounir, Dina Al-Wedidi, Dounia Masaoud, Mariam Saleh and Black Theama band.
Al-Ghouri Caravansary Mohamed Abdou St, off Al-Moaiz St and Al-Azhar St, Tel 02 2514 7475 every Sat, Mon and Wed, (9.30pm, free admission) Al-Tanourawhirling dervishes perform to live Sufi music.
Al-Gumhouriya Theatre 12 Al-Gumhouriya St, Abdeen, Tel 02 2390 7707 Fri 1, 8pm: Konoz Arab Music troupe, conducted by Mahmoud Darwish, performs classical Arab songs. Sun 3, 8pm: The Arab Music Heritage ensemble plays classical Arab songs.
Horriya Garden Zamalek Thurs 31, 9pm: The 5th edition of the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival's opening ceremony presents a concert featuring Egyptian singer and composer Dina Al-Wedidi. A musician of exceptional voice and style, Al-Wedidi's vibrant performances made her one of Egypt's most recognizable young voices. The concert alsopresents Khansa Batma,an icon of Moroccan rock and the only female artist in this genre in Morocco. Her more recent work has been described as a “rough-around-the-edges” style of rock that borrows from 90s alternative rock and traditional Moroccan popular music.
Makan Saad Zaghloul St, Al-Mounira, Cairo, Tel 02 2792 0878 Every Monday: (fixed event) Zikr and Sufi night. Every Tuesday, 9pm (doors open at 8.30pm): Mawawil and Gamalat Shiha present traditional music of the Nile Delta; Nubian Fadeka music and songs with Aragid, featuring Saleh Abbas and Farah Al-Masri; traditional Sudanese music and songs performed by Queen of Henna Settouna; Al-Jaafra music played by musicians from Aswan; Nass Makan (People from Makan) and Sanet perform traditional music from Eritrea. Every Wednesday, 9pm: Zar music and songs by Mazaher, featuring Umm Sameh, Umm Hassan and Nour Al-Sab.
Al-Mastaba Centre for Egyptian Folk Music 30A Al-Balaqsa St, Abdeen, Downtown. Tel 011 5099 5354 Al-Dammah Theatre for Free Arts Thurs 31, 8pm: Rango band presents a night with top Egyptian-Sudanese musicians, including Hassan Bergamon on the unique instrument called rango, Essam Tutu on the pentatonic simisimya and a group of singers of Sudanese origin. Sat 2, 8pm: Asyad Al-Zar (The Zar Masters) troupe will present its monthly performance. The troupe is made up of some of the few remaining Egyptian and Sudanese Zar performers (some of them are members of Rango band), playing the tanbura, thetoza (a small two-sided percussion instrument) the mangour (a wide belt of goat hooves worn around the hips), the marakesh (hand-held rattles) and the tambourine.
Al-Muaaz Street Al-Mansour Qalawun Complex, for information and ticket reservations call 010 0488 8479/011 5876 7774 between 12pm-10pm before Thursday 7 April Fri 8, 9am-4pm: Al-Muaaz Street Carnival, a Spring Feast celebration, the day opens with performances by Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes, Mizmar band playing folk music on Egyptian oriental instruments and Hassaballah band (the oldest Egyptian folk music band). Visitors can also tour the area's landmarks, includingAl-Mansour Qalawun Complex, the mosque and the school of the Mameluke Sultan Al-Zaher Barquq.
El Sawy Culturewheel End of 26th of July St, under the 15th of May Bridge, Zamalek, Tel 02 2736 8881/6178/2737 4448 River Hall Thurs 31, 8pm: The Egyptian Mawlawiya troupe, led by Sufi singerAmer Al-Toni,performs Sufi dances and songs.
ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria Opera House (Sayed Darwish Theatre) Fouad St, Mahatat Al-Raml, Alexandria, Tel 03 486 5106 Thurs 31, 8pm: A concert featuring theAlexandria Opera Company for Arab Music and Singing. Fri 1, 8pm: Les Petits Chats band. Wed 6, 8pm: The Cairo Opera Company presents a gala concert. Thurs 7, 8pm: TheAlexandria Opera Company for Arab Music and Singing.
