Arab Music Institute 22 Ramsis St, Tel 02 2574 3373 Thurs 7, 8pm: A classical Arab music concert features Radwa Said. Fri 8, 8pm: The Arab Music Heritage Ensemble in a repertoire of classical Arab songs. Sun 10, 8pm: The National Arab Music Ensemble performs Abdel-Wahab songs.
Beit Al-Seheimi Al-Muaaz St, Al-Darb Al-Asfar Alley, Al-Gamalya District, Tel 02 2787 8865 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, 8.30pm: “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 7, Fri 8, Sun 10, Mon 11, 8pm: The Cairo Opera Company, the Cairo Opera Orchestra, conducted by Andrea Albertin, the Cairo Opera Ballet Company and the Cairo Opera Choir, mastered by Pascale Rozier present Verdi's opera Un Ballo in Maschera. Vocal Coaching: Davide Dellisanti, Ursula Ruttimann, David Hales, choreographer Erminia Kamel, set designer: Mohamed El-Gharabawy, lighting designer: Yasser Shaalan and Director Hazem Tayel (Arabic and English translation on stage). Sat 9, 8pm: The Cairo Symphony Orchestra. Tues 12, 8pm: Singer Medhat Saleh in a concert celebrating the Valentine's Day. Wed 13, 8pm: Celebrating the Valentine's Day, singer Riham Abdel-Hakim features a concert. Thurs 14, 8pm: Singer Hany Shaker features the Valentine's Day concert. Small Hall Sat 9, 8pm: The Cairo Opera House Children Choir. Sun 10, 8pm: Guitar recital by Emad Hamdy. Mon 11, 8pm: Harp recital by Manal Mohieddin. Thurs 14, 8pm: The Talents Development Centre concert.
Cairo Jazz Club 197, 26th July St, Agouza, Tel 02 3345 9939 Sat 9, 10pm: Islam Chipsy, the keyboard master along with his insanely insync drummers will play their rowdy tunes knocking everyone off their feet. Next up, Sadat will sing his energetic and wild mahraganat. Sun 10, 10pm: Astonishing musical duo Samer George and Doaa Al Sebaii will perform some of the most memorable funk and jazz covers to uplift your evening! Next up is Omar Emara who will serenade us with a spine-tingling acoustic performance as usual. Wed 13, 10pm: Ramy DJunkie spins everything from pop to disco to nostalgic Arabic pop. Thurs 14, 10.30pm: Funk-Off is a high-energy band that covers all of your favourite hits from different genres such as funk, disco, blues, rock and pop.
Darb 1718 Kasr El Shamaa St, Al Fakhareen, Old Cairo, near Mar Girgis Metro Station, Tel 02 2741 3053/ 0109 3766188 Thurs 14, 8pm: The Sinatras band pays tribute to Frank Sinatra.
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, and Wed, 7.30pm).
Al-Gumhouriya Theatre 12 Al-Gumhouriya St, Abdin, Tel 02 2390 7707 Sat 9, 8pm: Religious songs performed by Al-Enshad Al-Dini troupe. Thurs 14, 8pm: The Egyptian Mawlawiya troupe, led by Sufi chanter Amer Al-Toni performs Sufi songs and dances.
Goethe Institute 17 Hussein Wassif St, Mesaha Sq, Dokki, Tel 02 2575 9877 Thurs 14, 7pm: Egyptian hip hop music by Asfalt band featuring rappers Ibrahim Farouk and Mohamed Gad. Ana-Homa (Me-Them), a contemporary dance show, idea and choreography by Nagham Osman.
Makan Saad Zaghloul St, Al-Mounira, Cairo, Tel 02 2792 0878 Every Monday, 7pm: (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 7, 8pm: El Tanbura band from Port-Said includes 20 members: master musicians, singers, philosophers, as well as fishermen, builders, plumbers and vendors, ranging in age from 25 to 84 years. Their instruments are their voices, the Simsimia, the Tanbura (big lyre), Nay also Kawala (end-blown, reed flute), tabla (vase-shaped drum), triangle, Sagat (small cymbals), Shakhalil (kind of castanets) and Riqq (open, wooden frame drum with jingling discs in the frame). Their collected oral repertoire consists of more than 20 hours of traditional songs and much remains to be documented. Every Saturday, 8pm: (fixed event) Asyad Al-Zar (The Zar Masters) band. The Zar Masters band is comprised of some of the few remaining Egyptian and Sudanese Zar performers playing Tanbura, Toza (small 2 sides percussion) Mangour, (a wide belt of goat hooves worn around the hips), Marakesh (hand-held rattles) and the tambourine.
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 7, 7pm: Independent alternative Neo-Egyptian Pop Hawas band. Sat 9, 8pm: Singer Ali Al-Haggar. Thurs 14, 7.30pm: Religious chanting by munshid (religious chanter) Ali Al-Helbawi. Wisdom Hall Thurs 7, 6 & 8pm: El-Sawy Culturewheel Puppet Theatre show revives the concerts of diva Umm Kolthoum performing two of her hits Anta Omry (you are my life) and Wa Daret Alayam (and the days passed). Fri 8, 7pm: “The Elite” stand-up comedy show features Ahmed Khairy, Ahmed Essam, Taha Dessoky, Mustafa Abbass, Mohamed Ashraf and many more. Sat 9, 7.30pm: Alternative rock music performed by Malaaz band. Sun 10, 7pm: Singer Ismail Sadek in a repertoire of classical Arab songs. Tues 12, 7.30pm: Musion band makes the audience see what they hear through the blending of music with various arts such as marionette, mime, fine art, poetry, monologue, performances, and acting. Thurs 14, 7pm: Fouad and Mounib band.
Umm Kolthoum Museum Manasterly Palace,1 Al-Malek Al-Saleh St, Al-Roda Island, Manial, Tel 02 2363 1467 Thurs 7, 8pm: Wanass band, conducted by maestro Tarek Abbass, present a concert marking the 44th anniversary of the death of legendary singer Umm Kolthoum. It features Egyptian singers as well as artists from Kosovo, Germany, Scotland, and Korea.
ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria Opera House (Sayed Darwish Theatre) 22 Fouad St, Mahatat Al-Raml, Al-Horiyya Road, Alexandria, Tel 03/486 5106 Thurs 7, 8pm: Singer Hoda Hosny and her band. Fri 8, 8pm: Alexandria Opera Company for Arab Music and Singing performs classical Arab songs. Sun 10, 8pm: Alexandria Opera Strings Orchestra, conducted by violinist Mounir Nasreddin presents a Valentine's Day concert. Wed 13, 8pm: Alexandria Opera Children Choir. Thurs 14, 8pm: Singer Ali Al-Haggar in a Valentine's Day concert.
