The Seventh Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF) (8-29 March)
Falaki Theatre American University in Cairo, Downtown Campus, 24 Falaki St, Downtown Cairo, Tel 012 88721446 Thurs 29, 8-8:55pm: Tarab is a dance performance from Switzerland where nine dancers move out of sync and in a continuous flow of multiple layers and changing positions, with bodies coiling and fingers uttering. The piece avoids any dramatizing movement, which gives it a hypnotic undertone. The bustle of the streets of Cairo pulsates in Tarab, a performance based on the musical systems used in traditional Arabic music where one can play in-between notes, allowing more room for self-expression. Choreography, concept: Laurence Yadi, Nicolas Cantillon, Cast: Nicolas Cantillon, Ryan Djojokarso, Karima El- Amrani, Victoria Hoyland, Aline Lopes, Laurence Yadi, Melissa Ugolini, Rosanne Briens, Margaux Monetti, Mix, Recording, Music: Jacques Mantica, Light Design creation by Patrick Riou, Technical manager: Arnaud Viala, Costumes Design by: Olga Kondrachin.
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Beit Al-Seheimi Al-Muaaz St, Al-Darb Al-Asfar Alley, Al-Gamalya District, Tel 02 2591 3391 Every Sunday, 7.30pm: 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, 7pm: “Al-Aragouz wa Khayal Al-Zel” (The Shadow Puppet), a free public performance by clowns in Al-Muaaz 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 Thurs 29, 8pm: The Cairo Opera Ballet Company and the Cairo Opera Choir present Bolero and Carmina Burana ballets choreographed by Erminia Kamel and directed by Abdel-Moneim Kamel. Fri 30, 8pm: A concert honours the memory of singer Abdel-Halim Hafez. Sat 31, 8pm: The Cairo Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Hisham Gabr, together with A Cappella Choir, led by Maya Gvineria perform works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Faure. Tues 3 and Wed 4, 8pm: A re-interpretation of the Modern Dance Theatre Company's first show Icarus, choreographed and directed by Walid Aouni. Thurs 5, 8pm: The Cairo Symphony Orchestra performs international compositions. Open-Air Theatre Thurs 29, 8pm: Oshaq Al-Nagham band. Fri 30, 8pm: Glass Onion band. Thurs 5, 8pm: Percussionist Nesma Abdel-Aziz performs on marimba. Small Hall Thurs 29, 8pm: Chamber music recital by Amany Soliman. Fri 30, 8pm: Pianist Fathy Salama. Sat 31, 7pm: Mozart's opera Così Fan Tutte live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Tues 3, 8pm: Flute, marimba and harp recital by Doaa Saber, Rehab Shaker and Mona Wassef. Thurs 5, 8pm: The Conservatoire (Supreme Institute of Music) concert. Fouad and Mounib band Cairo Jazz Club 197, 26th July St, Agouza, Tel 02 3345 9939 Sun 8, 10.30pm: The Austrian Trio Alpine Dweller featuring Joana Karácsonyl, Flora Geibelbrecht and Matthias Schinnerl, together with the Egyptian band Fouad and Mounib.
Al-Gumhouriya Theatre 12 Al-Gumhouriya St, Abdin, Tel 02 2390 7707 Thurs 29, 8pm: Al Enshad Al-Dini troupe for religious chanting. Fri 30, 8pm: For the first time in Egypt, the Austrian Cultural Forum/Cairo presents the Austrian Trio Alpine Dweller featuring Joana Karácsonyl, Flora Geibelbrecht and Matthias Schinnerl, together with the Egyptian band Fouad and Mounib. They will perform experts of international classics, jazz music pieces on guitar, cello, harp and other instruments. Sat 31, 8pm: Konoz band features singer Mahmoud Darwish in a programme of classical Arab songs. Sun 1, 8pm: Classical Arab music by the Abdel-Halim Noweira Arab Music Ensemble.
Al-Ghouri Caravansary Mohamed Abdou St, off Al-Muaaz St and Al-Azhar St, Tel 02 2514 7475 Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes perform to live Sufi music (Performances every Sat, Mon, Tues and Wed, 7.30pm).
Makan SaadZaghloul St, Al-Mounira, Cairo, Tel 02 2792 0878 Every Monday: (fixed event) Zikr and Sufi night. Every Tuesday, 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm and reservations is canceled at 7.30pm): Mawawil and Gamalat Shiha present traditional music of the Nile Delta; Nubian Fadeka music and songs with Aragid, featuring Saleh Abbass 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, 8pm: Zar music and songs by Mazaher, 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 Thurs 29, 8pm: Rango band features top Egyptian-Sudanese musicians, they focus on performing the musical heritage of Sudan with Hassan Bergamon on the unique rango, the artist, Essam Tutu, along with the pentatonic simisimya and a group of singers of Sudanese origin.
Room Art Space 10 Etihad Al Mohamin, Garden City, Tel 01000 068 159 Thurs 29, 9pm: Shady Al-Qasser and Friends band perform live music and singing. Thurs 5, 9pm: The Austrian Trio Alpine Dweller featuring Joana Karácsonyl, Flora Geibelbrecht and Matthias Schinnerl, together with the Egyptian band Fouad and Mounib.
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 29, 7.30pm: A stand-up comedy show by Taha Dessouki, Mustafa Abbass, Reem Nabil, Hamza Bahaa, Mohamed Kamatcho, Mohamed Helmi, Ahmed Essam and Walid Al-Moghazi. Fri 30, 7.30pm: Sufi chanter Ali El-Helbawi. Sat 31, 7pm: Religious chanting by Al-Hadra troupe. Sun 1, 8pm: Charisma band. Wisdom Hall Thurs 29, 8pm: Arabish band singing concert. Wed 4, 7pm: The 10th classical music, contemporary dance and classical ballet performance by pianist David Edgar and ballerina Nino David.
Thurs 5, 6&8pm: Umm Kolthoum is back on stage by El-Sawy Culturewheel Puppet Theatre show performing two of her best songs.
ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria Opera House (Sayed Darwish Theatre) Fouad St, Mahatat Al-Raml, Alexandria, Tel 03/486 5106 Thurs 29, 8pm: Alexandria Opera Company for Arab Music and Singing concert. Fri 30, 8pm: Alexandria Opera String Orchestra. Fri 6, 8pm: The Austrian Trio Alpine Dweller featuring Joana Karácsonyl, Flora Geibelbrecht and Matthias Schinnerl, together with the Egyptian band Fouad and Mounib.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina Chatby, Alexandria 21526, Tel (03) 4839999 Main Hall Thurs 29, 7pm: Bibliotheca Alexandrina Children Choir performs in a concert mastered by Rodica Ocheseanu. Fri 30, 7pm: Hageen band. Small Hall Sat 31, 7pm: Mozart's opera Così Fan Tutte live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
