Millions of people have visited the Cairo Opera House located in the Gezira district, being entertained by its art forms, such as drama and music. You can find out more about the Opera House's history by visiting its museum, located on the first floor of the Main Hall. It tells the story of the Royal Opera House, which was located in the Attaba district of downtown Cairo. Its story started in 1869, when the Khedive Ismail (who ruled Egypt from 1863 to 1879) gave instructions for the building of an opera house to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal and was meant to be a lasting and outstanding symbol for the arts of drama and music. Designed by Italian-Egyptian architects Pietro Avoscani and Mario Rossi, the Royal Opera House was completed in six months. Then Khedive Ismail commissioned a performance which would reflect ancient Egyptian history. French archaeologist Auguste Mariette, in the Khedive's service, wrote a brief plot which eventually served the respected Italian librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni as a basis for his libretto. Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi was appointed to compose the music and the result was the famous opera, Aida, with its heroic quality, powerful dramatic scenes and passionate music. Because of delays caused by the Franco-Prussian War, the sets and costumes for the premiere of 'Aida' did not arrive in Paris in time, and, in 1869, the Royal Opera House opened instead with Verdi's 'Rigoletto', one of Verdi's earlier masterpieces. Aida would receive its world premiere in Cairo in 1871. Sadly, a little over a century later, in the early morning of October 28, 1971, the great Royal Opera House was completely destroyed in a fire. The new Cairo Opera House was inaugurated on October 10, 1988, paid for by Japan. Construction on this Islamic-Western structure began in 1985 and took three years. As you walk into the museum, the items in the two halls there make you feel the spirit of the Royal Opera. On your right, there is a scene from 'Aida', with the Betah Temple in the background, a scene taken from the performance at the Royal Opera House on December 24, 1871. There are also a number of mannequins wearing costumes, such as a dancer's costume from the ballet 'Swan Lake'. A number of wonderful costumes worn by actors and actresses in 'Aida' are also on display. There are lots of photos depicting the beautiful building of the Royal Opera House, characterised by its Western architecture. There are also photos of prominent Egyptian artists who performed on stage there, like Ali el-Kassar and Naguib el-Rihani. One of the photos, taken in 1943, contains a complete panorama of the theatre at the Royal Opera House. Another big black-and-white photo shows the tragic burning of the Royal Opera. There is also a photo of King Farouq (who ruled Egypt from 1936 to 1952) and legendary actor Suleiman Naguib, talking together about the opera. Then there is a photo of late President Gamal Abdel-Nasser, while visiting the Opera with Minister of Culture Tharwat Abaza in 1966. So visitors can learn more about the building, there is a maquette of the Royal Opera House. There is a corner for the new Cairo Opera House, with photos of prominent performers of more recent times, such as Enas Abdel-Dayem, the flautist and the chairwoman of the Cairo Opera House; famous conductor Nader Abbasi; talented pianist Omar Khairat; and great opera lovers like late Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. The current Opera House includes the Main Hall, which seats 1,300 people on its four levels, including orchestra seating, three tiers and a presidential box. Used for operas and orchestra and ballet performances, the Small Hall seats up to 500 people on a single floor. It is also used for chamber music and recitals and can double as a very large reception hall for important events. The Open Air Theatre, with its square shaped stage and designed for outdoor performances, seats 600 people. The Gomhuria Theatre in Attaba, the Arab Music Institute in downtown Cairo, the Sayyed Darwish Theatre in Alexandria and Damanhour Opera House in el-Beheira Governorate are all affiliated to the Cairo Opera House.
The museum is open from 10am to 3pm, except on Fridays and Saturdays.
