Holy dance After the smashing success their concerts recently secured at the Egyptian Cultural Centre in London and in the UK capital's renowned Hyde Park, Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes will be performing to Sufi live sounds this Ramadan at various cultural venues in Cairo. Accompanied by traditional Egyptian musical instruments such as the rababa, nay, doff, sagat and tar, Al-Tanoura are scheduled to feature in a number of concerts at historical locations such as the Amir Taz Palace and the Ghouri Caravansary in Old Cairo, as well as the Cervantes Institute (the Spanish Culture Centre) and Al-Genena Theatre in Al-Azhar Park. ( see Listings p.2 ) Launching their project at the beginning of Ramadan, the Plastic Art Sector has organised a workshop for children with special needs under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and in cooperation with the Ibtisama (Smile) Association. The programme runs at the Mahmoud Mokhtar Cultural Centre, welcoming both children with special needs and orphans. According to Plastic Arts Sector head Mohsen Shaalan, the workshop provides a daily programme which is cultural, educational and artistic, and aims at maximising children's skills precisely by creating a positive social environment for them. The two-hour workshop starts before Iftar and is followed by an entertaining party, featuring Al-Gomhuriya Puppet Theatre's performance of Salah Jahin's masterpiece operetta Al-Leila Al-Kebira (The Big Night). photo: Ayman Barayez Ramadan's Sohour has a charming mood of its own, and Mohamed El-Sawy, head of Al-Sawy Culture Wheel, made the most of it when he invited a number of media figures and artists for Sohour on the bank of the Nile. Among the attendees were consummate pianist Omar Khayrat, artist Manal El-Fatatry, singer Azza Balbaa and filmmaker Mohsen Ahmed. The evening was enlivened by the performance of Al-Tanoura troupe and Al-Sawy Puppet Theatre playing songs of legendary singer Abdel-Halim Hafez. photos: Abdel-Hamid Eid On the occasion of the closing ceremony of the 24th Alexandria International Film Festival, Governor of Alexandria Adel Labib and Festival President Mamdouh El-Leithi distributed prizes among numerous cinema figures. The award for best actor went to veteran comedian Adel Imam for his role in the hit movie Hassan and Morcos, while Laila Elwi won best actress. The award for best supporting actor went to Mohamed Imam, best director to Rami Imam, and best film to Kobulat Masrouqa (Stolen Kisses). In addition, two prizes went to Syrian cinema figures, Assad Fadda and Mona Wassef in honour of Syrian cinema. Actor Magdi Kamel has just finished the shooting of TV series Nasser, directed by Syrian Basil Al-Khatib. In the series, currently being aired on satellite channels, Kamel plays the role of late Egyptian president Gamal Abdel-Nasser. The series traces his biography from early childhood, tracking his achievements, both on the personal and political levels. At a prestigious restaurant in Lebanon, singer Haifaa Wahbi featured at a concert at Sohour time. On the occasion of celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, Wahbi sang a number of her new songs. Exhibition of artist Fatma El-Tanani opened last Monday at the Gezira Arts Centre. El-Tanani is an accomplished artist who has been for the past 15 years producing some of Cairo's most refined stained-glass panels. Exhibiting a number of glass statues and other glass artwork, El-Tanani's exhibition closing on 22 September, is not to be missed. Throughout Ramadan, the Cairo Opera House will be offering a unique and busy cultural programme, featuring 36 concerts at its various venues across Cairo and Alexandria, as well as an additional five concerts organised in cooperation with the General Organisation of Cultural Palaces, to be held at Salaheddin's Citadel. This year, the programme includes more Sufi and religious song concerts, featuring Sufi cantor Mahmoud El-Tohami, Hossam Saqr 's Sufi vocal troupe, and the Enshad Al-Dini (Religious Singing) troupe, led by Essam Abdel-Moneim. A number of concerts featuring Egypt's most prominent pop singers will also be held, including performances by veteran Nubian voice Mohamed Mounir, Ali El-Haggar, Medhat Saleh and Khaled Selim. Aside from Egypt, four Muslim countries -- Iraq, Sudan, Indonesia and Syria -- are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan at the Opera House. This year, the 17th Arab Music Festival and Conference, scheduled from 1 to 10 October, will include a competition in improvisation in Arab singing and religious invocation. According to Cairo Opera House Director Abdel-Moneim Kamel and Festival President Ratiba El-Hefni, participation is open to those who are over 40 years old. Only three contestants will be granted financial awards, put at LE5,000 for the winner, LE3,000 for second place, and LE1,000 for third. Tonight at 9.30pm, percussionist Nesma Abdel-Aziz is due to play on marimba a selection of Ramadan's most popular songs, as well as pianist Omar Khayrat 's best compositions, at the Cairo Opera House's Open-Air Theatre. Under the auspices of Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, Egypt is participating in the 11th Venice Biennial for Architecture due to start on 12 September in Venice. Celebrating contemporary architecture all over the world, this year's round is titled "Architecture Beyond Building". A group of promising architects and artists were chosen by the commissar of the biennial Tarek Wali to participate in Egypt's pavilion. They are led by architect Yehia Shawkat who will present the idea and construct the building under the name "Shadows of Geometry".
