D-CAF's 8th edition (29 March-21April) Greek Campus 28 Falaki St, Bab Al-Louk, Cairo, Tel 010 90322400 Fri 19, 8pm: Contributing fresh and creatively-mixed genres and sounds to D-CAF's music programme this year, these three emerging Egyptian artists will collectively provide for an evening of musical treats: Abyusif has become one of Egypt's latest breakout rap stars, achieving fame and success through his catchy flows and personal lyrics that are relatable to everyone. Wegz is an Egyptian rapper born and raised in Alexandria, whose music style comprises a mix of Egyptian hip hop, world hip hop and Electro-Shaabi. 3Phaz is a Cairo-based musician, who is passionate about bass, distortion and especially interested in deconstructing the Shaabi aesthetic. Tamara Building 17 Gawad Hosny, Al Fawalah, Abdeen, Downtown Cairo Sat 20, 4-8pm: Crazy But True is an interactive installation for children between the ages of eight and eleven, who are invited to form a panel. As the children receive their lines via headphones and are instructed to repeat what they hear without rehearsal, a rolling list of extraordinary facts disguised as a conversation among ‘experts' takes shape, partly serious, partly funny (“On average, sharks kill 12 humans a year. On average, humans kill 100 million sharks a year”). With the audience positioned to feel at once ‘outside' the game and involved, the installation evokes an intense awareness of shared responsibility. Crazy But True has been performed in many European countries and in South America. This D-CAF performance will be its Arab world premiere. Ant Hampton is a British artist and performance maker, who started his work in 1998 under the name Rotozaza. The installation's Creative producer is Katja Timmerberg, with Assistant Director Fahd Motawe. (Open for all audiences. For children aged 8 to 11 who would like to participate in the performance, check details online). Tahrir Cultural Centre (TCC) AUC's Tahrir Campus Falaki Theatre American University in Cairo, Downtown Campus, 24 Falaki St, Downtown Cairo, Tel 012 88721446 Thurs 18, 8pm: Danser Casa (France/Morocco), hip hop dance by Kader Attou and Mourad Merzouki, performed by Ayoub Abekkane, Mossab Belhajali, Yassine El Moussaoui, Oussama El Yousfi, Aymen Fikri, Stella Keys, Hatim Laamarti and Ahmed Samoud with Music by Régis Baillet-Diaphane, lighting by Madjid Hakimi Costumes by Emilie Carpentier and Alexandra Langlois. Danser Casa is an infectious evocation of Casablanca and the vital energy and intense emotion of Moroccan youth, built around dancers who want to burst out of their confines and transition from the street to the stage. Created in 2018, the piece showcases the talent of Moroccan dancers, featuring eight dancers from different backgrounds and cities. The dancers were selected from a large pool of auditioning hip-hoppers for their unique talent, personality, creative potential and adventurous spirit — the piece essentially being about the artistic challenge of an artist, about what can be done with these bodies, this energy, this history and this culture. Through a year-long open process the choreographers were able to draw inspiration from each dancer's personality and from Casablanca's creative urban vibe to concoct this new performance. After premiering in France in June 2018, the performance toured France, Germany and Morocco. Sun 21, 8pm: “Om El Aagayyeb” concert (Syria/Egypt) features Flute, Nay, Vocal, Compositions: Naïssam Jalal, Oud: Hazem Shaheen, Vocal: Om Sameh, Violin: Mohamed Sami, Cello: Mohamed Salah Accordeon: Wael Al-Sayed and Double Bass: Salah Ragab, Percussion, Vocal: Adel Mikha and Percussion: Hany Bdair. Inspired by feelings of nostalgia and memories of her experience living in Cairo in her early twenties — an intensely emotional period which left permanent traces — French-Syrian musician Naïssam Jalal describes this show as ‘an intimate story, an act of recollection.' Wishing to demonstrate her deep and indescribable connection to Egypt and the laughter of its people, Jalal has invited her Egyptian musician friends to participate and speak alongside her in this concert. Naïssam Jalal is a French-Syrian musician, whose musical influences range from jazz to hip-hop and she has shared the stage with musicians from multiple countries and genres, always committed to weaving bonds between different musical traditions. Since 2008, she has regularly performed alongside Egyptian oud player Hazem Shaheen. ____________________________________________ The 7th International Drums and Traditional Arts Festival (20-27 April) For the first time, Reda Folk Arts troupe, Circus and the National Folk Arts troupe will participate in this edition. For the first time, one of the activities of the festival will take place in Shoubra Al-Kheima. And that the guest of honor of the festival is the continent of Africa. This year's participating countries are Poland, Nigeria, Greece, Maldives, Mexico, Jordan, Colombia, Armenia, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Ecuador, Burundi, India, Saudi Arabia, and Senegal. The closing ceremony will coincide with the Sinai holiday celebrations in which all countries will participate in one concert in addition to three Arab countries: Palestine, Syria and Sudan. The festival also offers a number of workshops. The concerts venues are the following: Salaheddin Citadel Salah Salem Rd, Mokattam, Cairo, Tel 02 2512 1735 Al-Ghouri Dome 111 Al-Azhar St, Al-Ghouriya, Tel 02 2506 0227 Al-Muiz Street Islamic Cairo Child Center of Civilization and Creativity Abou Bakr Al-Sedeek St, Al-Nozha, Heliopolis, Cairo, Tel 02 27714915, closes 7pm Al-Hanager Arts Centre Cairo Opera Complex, Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Zamalek, Tel 02 2735 6861
Arab Music Institute 22 Ramsis St, Tel 02 2574 3373 Thurs 18 and Fri 19, 8pm: A gala concert of movies music by the Cairo Opera Company, accompanied by pianist Greig Martin. Thurs 25, 8pm: The Talents Development Centre concert. 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 18 and Fri 19, 8pm: Giselle ballet is performed by the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, supervised by Erminia Kamel, and the Cairo Opera Orchestra, conducted by Nayer Nagui, music by Adolphe Adam, choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Abdel-Moniem Kamel, lighting design by Yasser Shaalan, set design by Mohamed El-Gharabawy, and costume design by Nadieshda Tovostlak, and Marina Marzinco. Sat 20, 8pm: The Cairo Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Nader Abbassi, and featuring Pianist Francesca Khalifa, and violinist Laura Virtanen, performing I.Stravisnky's "Firebird Suite" Version 1919, W.A. Mozart's Conerto for piano and Orchestra in C major, K. 415, J.Sibelius's Humoresques for Violin and Orchestra and R.Wagner's Tanhäuser Overture. Open-Air Theatre Thurs 18, 8pm: Jazz music by Glass Onion band. Fri 19, 8pm: Pianist Fathi Salama and Sharkiat band. Mon 22, 8pm: A concert of compositions by Hany Nadeem. Thurs 25, 8pm: Mazeek band. Small Hall Thurs 18, 8pm: Duo piano recital by Sarah Darwish and Mahmoud Mekhaimar. Fri 19, 8pm: The Talents Development Centre concert. Sun 21, 8pm: The Conservatoire concert. Mon 22, 8pm: Duo oud recital by Dina Abdel-Hamid and Ghassan Al-Youssef. Wed 24, 8pm: Clarinet Quartet for chamber music. Thurs 25, 8pm: Viola recital by Mohamed Abu Arab. Darb 1718 Kasr El Shamaa St, Al Fakhareen, Old Cairo, near Mar Girgis Metro Station, Tel 02 2741 3053/ 0109 3766188 Fri 19, 7.30pm: Paranoid Eyes, is an Egyptian progressive rock band with a great passion for covering the tunes of Pink Floyd and the solo projects released by the legendary David Gilmour and Roger Waters. 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 Sun 21, 8pm: Al-Enshad Al-Dini troupe in a repertoire of religious songs. Mon 22, 8pm: Indian folk dance show by Bundeli Kala Parishad troupe from the State of Madhya Pradesh, India. Tues 23, 8pm: Violin and harp recital by Hossam Shehata and Manal Mohieddin. Thurs 25, 8pm: Awtar band features Amr Abdel-Moneim.
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 18, 8pm: Zar and Sufi music and singing performed by the exceptional Abul Gheit Darawish (dervishes) band. 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 18, 7.30pm: A concert features Nubian singer Maram. Fri 19, 7pm: Sufi chanting by Al-Hadra troupe. Tues 23, 7.30pm: Elmazagngia band performs the 1980's and 1990's songs in a light style. Thurs 25, 7.30pm: Singer Emad Kamal and Takhtista band. Wisdom Hall Thurs 18, 6.30pm: Spanish Theremin electronic music player Javier Díez and Egyptian musician Adham Zidan will feature a concert titled “Theremonial, Dark and Exotic Theremin Music” celebrating the 100 anniversary of inventing the theremin as the first electronic music instrument in history. Tues 23, 7pm: Classical Arab Music by singer Ismail Sadek. Wed 24, 9pm: Singer Ali Al-Haggar performs classical Arab songs as well as his much-loved songs. Thurs 25, 7pm: The Egyptian Mawlawiya troupe, led by Sufi chanter Amer Al-Toni performs Sufi chants and dances. Al-Burouj Theatre Al-Shorouk City, Ismailia Road Fri 19, 7.30pm: Musician Hisham Kharma launches his album Kun. Tahrir Cultural Centre (TCC) AUC's Tahrir Campus Ewart Memorial Hall American University in Cairo, Downtown Campus, 24 Falaki St, Downtown Cairo, Tel 012 88721446 Fri 19, 8pm: Jazz and blues by French-Swiss trumpet virtuoso Erik Truffaz. ALEXANDRIA Alexandria Opera House (Sayed Darwish Theatre) 22 Fouad St, Mahatat Al-Raml, Al-Horiyya Road, Alexandria, Tel 03/486 5106 Fri 19, 8pm: The Abdel-Halim Noweira Arab Music Ensemble. Sun 21, 8pm: Alexandria Opera Company for Arab Music and Singing. Wed 24, Thurs 25, Fri 26, 8pm: Giselle ballet is performed by the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, supervised by Erminia Kamel, and the Cairo Opera Orchestra, conducted by Nayer Nagui, music by Adolphe Adam, choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Abdel-Moniem Kamel, lighting design by Yasser Shaalan, set design by Mohamed El-Gharabawy, and costume design by Nadieshda Tovostlak, and Marina Marzinco. Bibliotheca Alexandrina Chatby, Alexandria 21526, Tel (03) 4839999 Conference Centre Main Hall Thurs 18, 7pm: Almena band. Fri 19, 8pm: Hip hop dance performance by Centre Rézodanse-Egypte. Sat 20, 7pm: Egyptian harpist Manal Mohie-Eldeen, accompanied by the BA Chamber Orchestra and Oriental Strokes band, performs a selection of popular classical and Egyptian music and songs specially arranged for harp and orchestra.
