In these pages you will hopefully find interesting tips on how to take advantage of Cairo's many cultural opportunities, with particular attention to live events. Cairo Live Events Guide does not pretend to be exhaustive but will try to cover main events open to the public.

This is a private, independent, nonprofit endeavour. This blog was started in August 2008 by Cairowanderer who has been running it solo up to May 2011. Since then Cairene Beat contributes as well to the blog. If you have any comment, tip, or information you think might be relevant for the blog, please write to cairowanderer@gmail.com or cairenebeat@gmail.com.

Read about Cairo Live Events Guide on The Daily News Egypt

Thursday, December 18, 2008

C.L.E.G. ON HOLIDAY

C.L.E.G. will be on holiday as from today Friday December 19 and no updates will appear until the second week of January.
You can access the latest weekly agenda covering events up to Friday, December 26 by scrolling down to next post. To search for events during the period not covered you can browse the websites listed in the USEFUL LINKS section.

Whether you celebrate this time of the year or not, I wish you a great time and a wonderful 2009.

AGENDA MUSIC DEC.20 - DEC. 26

Saturday, December 20, 2008

- Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nader Abbasi with soloist singers Iman Moustafa, Christine Knorren, Tamer Tawfiq, Reda El Wakil & the A Cappella Choir (Choir Master Maya Gvineira) will perform Giuseppe Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Nagham Masry at the Cairo Jazz Club 9:30 PM

- Christmas Concert with Soprano Gala El-Hadidi in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM

- Nour Emam Jazz music concert in the Wisdom Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 6:00 PM


Sunday, December 21, 2008

- El Tanbura Group from Port Said in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM

- Sherif Mustafa (guitar) at the Cairo Jazz Club 10:00 PM

- Bashir at After 8 10:00 PM

- El-Nil Troupe for folk instruments (Folk music and songs) at Beit Al-Suheimi 8:00 PM

- National Arab Music Ensemble conducted by Selim Sahab at the Arab Music Institute (10, Aisha al-Taimouriah St.-Garden City) 8:00 PM


Monday, December 22, 2008

- Piano Recital by pianists Mariam El Mamlouk and Sherif Salah El Din at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

- The Riff Band at the Cairo Jazz Club 10:00 PM

- Wust El Balad at After 8 10:00 PM

- Christmas Concert with Soprano Neveen Allouba in the Small Hall of the Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM


Tuesday, December 23, 2008

- Nass Makan (Nubian music, Zikr and Sufi songs, Sudanese music and songs) at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM

- Sahra at the Cairo Jazz Club 10:00 PM

- Ressala Band (contemporary Egyptian music) celebrates Christmas at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

- Mohamed Rashad accompanied by Mezmar sings folk songs from Upper Egypt at the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM


Wednesday, December 24, 2008

- Mazaher Ensemble (Music of the Delta) at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM

- Eli El-Haggar presents classical arabic songs in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 9:00 PM

- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM


Thursday, December 25, 2008

- National Arab Music Ensemble conducted by Selim Sahab at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

- Harp Recital by Mona Wassef in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- The Cairo Ballet Company choreographed by Abdel Moniem Kamel and Cairo Opera Orchestra conducted by Nader Abbasi present Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” Ballet in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM (runs until Tuesday, December 30)

- Sharara Sextet conducted by Attiy Sharara presents a repertoire of classical Arab music at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:00 PM

- The Philarmonic String Quartet will perform works from Beethoven, Abdel-Wahab and Schubert at the Palace of Arts (Cairo Opera House grounds) 8:00 PM

- Amer El Toni’s Al-Mawlaweya Al-Masreya Troupe at Beit al Soheimi 8:00 PM

- Ashraf Habashi and the Jazz Caterers at the Cairo Jazz Club 10:00 PM

- Sahra at After 8 10:00 PM

- Ressala Band (contemporary Egyptian music) celebrates Christmas in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:00 PM

- Hossam Samir present a selection of Fari Al-Atrash best songs in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM


Friday, December 26, 2008

- The Cairo Ballet Company choreographed by Abdel Moniem Kamel and Cairo Opera Orchestra conducted by Nader Abbasi present Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” Ballet in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM (runs until Tuesday, December 30)

- Skindeep at After 8 10:00 PM

- Rafaat Yossri in concert at Beit Al-Harrawi 8:00 PM

- Amr Abdel Moneim and Awtar Ensemble (Arabic music) in the Open Air Theatre of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Arab Takht Ensemble led by Yasser Moawad at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

11th INTERNATIONAL CAIRO BIENNALE

Set up in 1984 as a state-sponsored event for artists from Arab-speaking countries only, the Cairo Biennale opened its doors to foreign contributions in its fifth edition and has had since then a steady inflow of European and American artists. The Biennale helped to launch the careers of many local artists and brought to Cairo works from Gio Pomodoro, Nancy Spero and Claude Viallat among others.
According to many, the Biennale had his ups and downs and might have to work hard if it wants to compete with other exhibitions of the kind and continue to be attractive for international and local artists who find it easier now, through the myriad of local art gallery and the web generated cultural exchange, to bring their works to the public and make a name for themselves. I am not in a position to judge because I am no art critic and have not lived here enough to compare different editions. There is surely a public for the Biennale in Cairo and it is out of doubt that an event of this kind brings lustre to the city. Hopefully this edition will honour the expectations.

The official opening of the Biennale will take place on Saturday, December 20 at 12:00 AM at the Palace of Arts in the Opera House Grounds. the exhibitions will run until Friday February 20, 2009. Some works have already been inaugurated like the "No. 1 Sun Engine" project of the Swiss artists Christina Hemauer and Roman Keller that was officially opened on December 15. Sadly the official website of the Biennale does not provide to date the list of artists nor the venues and program of events (and this is admittedly not very promising). I was provided with information about few projects (American, Swiss and Italian) and I list the links below. For the rest, I suggest you check the Biennale website in a few days, scan the web, or try get information at the Opera Grounds.

http://cairo2008.makcenter.org/
http://www.sun1913.info/
http://www.iiccairo.esteri.it/IIC_IlCairo/webform/SchedaEvento.aspx?id=132 (in Italian)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

PhotoCairo4: The Long Shortcut

"The Long Shortcut, is a large-scale visual art project that explores the dynamics between informal and official modes of operation that continues to shape the social reality in this region and beyond"

This is the opening paragraph of the Press Release for PhotoCairo4 and I am a bit at a loss at understanding what they exactly mean. There must be something beyond the circumlocutions and I feel that the best thing to do is to provide you with a series of links to specific pages where you can get information in detail and the program of this undoubtedly interesting series of exhibitions and symposium that will take place at various venues in Cairo between today Wednesday, December 17 2008 and Wednesday, January 14 2009


PhotoCairo4 Website
Contemporary Image Collective
Townhouse Gallery
Hungarian Cultural Centre
Pro Helvetia Cairo

Go, explore and enjoy!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

SPANISH NIGHTS at the Cairo Opera House

Tonight Tuesday, December 16 and tomorrow Wednesday, December 17 2008 the Main Hall of the Cairo Opera House will host the Danzarte Ballet of Laura HormigĂłn and Oscar Torrado.
Their show Noche española will feature elements from the Bolero School, Classical Ballet and Spanish Classical Dance. In the program are Goyescas, scenes from Carmen, the suite from El sombrero de tres picos and Don Quijote. Stars of the show will be the dancers Francisco Velasco and Penélope Sanchez.

Monday, December 15, 2008

NOKIA XPRESSMUSIC FESTIVAL

Some of the best Egyptian Bands, including Wust El Balad, Nagham Masry, Screwdriver and Sahra will perform alongside local DJ's and unspecified guests from the UK at the Nokia Xpressmusic Festival that will be held Friday, December 19 starting 3:00 PM in the Chinese Garden of Cairo International Conference Centre.
This is surely a good opportunity to have an insight into the young local music movement. The somehow bizarre way of acquiring ticket for the show is the same as for the SOS Music Festival (and the organizer is the same). The show is free but you have to get a ticket to get in, ticket that you can obtain by replying (be smart, ... this looks to me like a profile screening) to a questionnaire that you find online here.

You can get a full list of the performers and some more clues at the way the ticket process works by clicking here

Sunday, December 14, 2008

CINEMA

The French Cultural Centre in Mounira continues his excellent film offering with the award-winning "S21, La Machine de Mort Khmere Rouge" a movie by Rithy Pahn about the appaling human rights violations occurred during the Pol Pot regime. The movie, in original language with French subtitles, will be screened today Sunday, December 14 at 8:30 PM. Free entry

The Italian Film Forum at AUC is also continuing his "The Italian Style Comedy" season with the movie "Travolti da un insolito destino nell'azzurro mare d'Agosto" (Swept Away) by Lina WertmĂĽller. The movie will be shown at the AUC Tahrir Campus - Hill House Room 403 tomorrow Monday, December 15 at 7:00 PM. The film is in Italian language with English subtitles. Free Entry

Thursday, December 11, 2008

AGENDA MUSIC DEC.13 - DEC.19

Saturday, December 13, 2008

- Christmas Concert by Soloists of the Cairo Opera Company with Cairo Celebration Choir & the Chamber Singers from Cairo American College conducted by Nayer Nagui in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM

- El Dor El Awal at the Cairo Jazz Club 10:00 PM

- Ingy Nabaleeh Qanun (Zither) Recital in the Wisdom Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:00 PM

- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM


Sunday, December 14, 2008

- Piano Recital by Yuan Sheng (China) at the Manasterly Palace 8:00 PM

- TĂŞte-Ă -TĂŞte with Amr Salah (Eftekasat) and double bass player Andre Segone with friends; an evening of Latin Jazz and Funk in the Wisdom Hall of El-Sawi Cultural Centre 8:00 PM.

- Bashir at After 8 10:00 PM

- The Nubian Drums Troupe at the Ghouri Palace 8:00 PM

- El-Nil Troupe for folk instruments (Folk music and songs) at Beit Al-Suheimi 8:00 PM

- Sherif Mustafa Guitar Concert (New Age) at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:00 PM

- Rock Concert by Deadlock in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM


Monday, December 15, 2008

- Wust El-Balad at After 8 10:00 PM

- Fathy Salama and his troupe Sharkiat with special guests Screwdriver in the Open Air Theatre of the Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Rock Night with Cairokee and Nagham Masry in the Wisdom Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:00 PM


Tuesday, December 16, 2008

- Cairo Opera Orchestra conducted by Thomas Herzog with Spanish soprano Begoña Alberdi and Spanish dancer Bettina Castaño presents a “Zarzuela” Gala at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

- Egypt Philarmonic Society in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Nass Makan (Nubian music, Zikr and Sufi songs, Sudanese music and songs) at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM

- United Nile Reggae at the Cairo jazz Club 10:00 PM


Wednesday, December 17, 2008

- Early Music Crossover by Horus Ensemble and Los Otros (Germany) in the Small Hall of the Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Mazaher Ensemble (Music of the Delta) at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM

- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM


Thursday, December 18, 2008

- French DJ and House Master D’Julz at the French Cultural Centre in Mounira 9:00 PM

- Eftekasat (Oriental Jazz) in the Wisdom Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:00 PM

- Sahra at After 8 10:00 PM


Friday, December 19, 2008

- Christmas Concert by the Coptic Hymn Ensemble conducted by Diaa Sabri at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

- Folklore Music from the Oasis of Siwa with the Amazigh Troupe in the Wisdom Hall of el Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Cancellation of tonight's events

Just back from the desert and got notice that both shows listed in the Agenda for tonight (Mazaher Ensemble and Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group) will not take place.
Sorry for the late notice; ... hopefully you're still on holiday and did not consider going anyway.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

BLOG ON HOLIDAY

Cairowanderer will go wandering for a week in the deserts of Egypt.
Those who stay in Cairo may wanto to check out how to spend an intelligent evening scrolling to the post below or by clicking "Latest Weekly Agenda" just here on the right side.

Happy Eid Al-Adha to you all!

AGENDA MUSIC DEC. 6 - DEC. 12

Saturday, December 6, 2008

- Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andreas Spörri with solists Hassan Sharara (violin) and Osama Farid (Viola) presents works from Mozart and Beethoven in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Wust El Balad, live in the River Hall of El-Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM

- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM

- Beshir (Modern Folk from Upper Egypt) at the Cairo Jazz Club 9:30 PM

- Radio Muezzin (A Documentary Concert) by Stefan Kaegi (Germany) in the World Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 6:00 PM


Sunday, December 7, 2008

- Amer El Toni’s Al-Mawlaweya Al-Masreya (Sufi songs and dance) in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM

- Omar Khayrat (Piano) performs a collection of his own compositions accompanied by the Cairo Opera Orchestra in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Beshir (Modern Folk from Upper Egypt) at After 8 10:00 PM

- El-Nil Troupe for folk instruments (Folk music and songs) at Beit Al-Suheimi 8:00 PM


Monday, December 8, 2008

- Wust El Balad at After 8 10:00 PM


Tuesday, December 9, 2008

- Black Tehama live in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 9:00 PM


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

- Mazaher Ensemble (Music of the Delta) at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM

- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM


Thursday, December 11, 2008

- Heritage Ensemble for Arab Music conducted by Farouk El Bably at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

- Fairouz Misr (Arabic music) live in the Wisdom Hall of El-Sawi Cultural Centre 8:00 PM


Friday, December 12, 2008

- Elena Dzamashvili (Georgia) Piano Recital in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House 8:00 PM

- Yorka Band in concert at the Gomhouria Theatre 8:00 PM

- Rania Shaalan in the River Hall of El Sawi Cultural Centre 8:30 PM

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Theatre in French

Yesterday I was too busy to write a post. In fact there wasn't much to write about, other than what was already in the weekly agenda.
Today is sort of another day of the kind, but I want to put down few lines about a theatre performance that will take place today, Wednesday, December 3 at 8:00 PM in the French Cultural Centre in Mounira. The actor Vladislav Galard will present a mise-en-scene of texts of Albert Cossery, an Egyptian writer who lived and worked most of his life in Paris until his death in 2008.
Free entry.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Two Art Galleries & a Movie

After the flurry of cultural opportunities offered by the month of November, this month starts on a much sober note. Why not taking the opportunity to visit two interesting exhibitions of contemporary art then? They are even at a walking distance one from the other, in the district of Zamalek.

The first is called "Labyrinth" (see here), from the renowned Egyptian artist Mohamed Abla at the Zamalek Art Gallery, 11 Brazil St. , running until December 4, while the second is a collective exhibition of four artists from Alexandria called "Pharos of Arts" (see here) at the Al Masar Gallery at 157b 26th of July St., running until December 15.

And while you are around and wait for dinner time, you might even drop in at the Italian Cultural Centre at 3, Sheikh al-Marsafi St. where at 7:00 will be screened the wonderful movie "L'ultimo bacio" by Gabriele Muccino.

Wouldn't it be a wonderful evening?

TIP: See Art Review ARTMAPS for locations