Not all those that wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien, novelist and philologist (1892-1973)
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.
Basma Abdel-Rahim was born in Cairo to a family of musicians (of three generations) and began violin lessons at the age of 6 at the Children´s School of the Cairo Conservatoire where she later graduated with honors in 1982. She then furthered her post-graduate studies at the Frankfurt Academy of Music with E. Pienemann and S. Karoly in a DAAD scholarship. In the same period, she attended masterclasses in London with Y. Neaman. In 1987 she obtained her diploma in Frankfurt. Since 1988 she is first violinist of the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra. She continued her professional studies in the United States in 1991 in a Fullbright grant, and between 1994 and 1996 specialized in baroque studies at the Schola Cantorum in Basel (Switzerland).
She made several appearances and recordings, as a soloist and as member of chamber music ensembles, in Cairo and many other cities in Europe, USA and the Middle East. She has succesfully premiered contemporary works, written for, and dedicated to her. She is also a member of the Balthasar Neumann Ensemble conducted by Th. Hengelbrock, performing with historical instruments.
- Biographic notes taken from the programme of the Arab Perspectives Music Festival 2009.
I know I am late with this post, but you still have a chance to catch the last three evenings of SPANISH CINEMANIA, a festival of Spanish productions that run till Sunday, January 31 at the Artistic Creativity Center in the Cairo Opera Grounds. For a full list of movies with synopsis, click here.
Thanks to Yahya Mekkawi for attracting my attention to this event.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
- Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marcello Mottadelli present Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” with Iman Mustafa and Mona Rafla (soprano), Gala El Hadid (mezzosoprano), George Wanis (tenor), Elhami Amin (baritone), Emad Adel (bass) and the A Cappella Choir in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- El Dor El Awal (Mediterranean jazz) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 9:30 PM
- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM
Sunday, January 31, 2010
- Basma Abdel-Rahim (violin) and Maria Ollokainen (Finland/piano) present music from Beethoven, Schumann, Stravinsky and Abdel-Rahim recital in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Heritage Ensemble for Arab Music at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
- Rashad Fahim (Standard jazz) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 9:30 PM
- The Nubian Drums Troupe led by Entesar Abdel-Fattah a the Ghouri Palace, 8:00 PM
- El-Nil Troupe for folk instruments (Folk music and songs) at Beit Al-Suheimi 8:00 PM
- Bashir (Nubian music) at the After8 Club, 10:00 PM
- Salalem (Contemporary Egyptian music) at the Boss Restaurant and Rock Café, 9:30 PM
Monday, February 1, 2010
- Georgian Cultural Days, with members of the State Ballet of Georgia in the Main Hall of Cairo of Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Boghdady Big Band (Jazz) in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Wust El Balad (Modern oriental and jazz fusion) at the After8 Club, 10:00 PM
- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM
- 19th Band (70s Rock) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 9:30 PM
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
- Abdel Halim Nowera Ensemble for Arab Music conducted by Salah Gobashi in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Rustavi Folk Song and Dance Company (Georgia) in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Wust El Balad (Modern Egyptian Folk) at the Cairo Jazz Club,10:30 PM
- Mohamed Sawwah presents his record “Raksa Lel Sultan” at El Sawi Cultural Center in Zamalek, 8:00 PM
- Nass Makan (Nubian music, Zikr and Sufi songs, Sudanese music and songs) at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
- Naseer Shamma (Iraq/Oud) at Saint John's Church Maadi, 7:30 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
- Amir Eid (Cairokee) at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 8:00 PM
- Offbeat band at After8 Club, 10:00 PM
Thursday, February 4, 2010
- National Arab Music Ensemble conducted by Selim Sahab in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Rapology (Rap & Hip Hop) at El Sawi Cultural Center in Zamalek, 8:30 PM
- Sahra (Rai music) at the After8 Pub, 10:00 PM
Friday, February 5, 2010
- Frèdèric Francois (France) in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Mohamed Abou Arab (viola) recital in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Heritage Ensemble for Arab Music at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
- Salalem (Arabic music) at the After8 Pub, 10:00 PM
This year's edition of the Cairo International Book Fair is going to open, in the customary low-key way, tomorrow Thursday, January 28 (Friday, January 29 to the public) at the Trade Fair Grounds in Nasr City. It will run until Sunday, February 7. Free entry.
Beside the laudable initiatives of few countries who have posted the program of the events taking place in their pavillons (see here the Italian; scroll down to get to the text in English and Arabic), there isn't, as far as I know, any general program of the event posted on the net. But then, all who have attended in the past complained that it was very crowded, so, perhaps, that's a clever strategy to discourage additional potential visitors. It will certainly work with me; I'd rather search and browse through books at Diwan or Al Kotob Khan, in tranquility, and with a nice cappuccino in front of me.
That Darb 1718 is one of the most innovative art and cultural centers in Cairo (and not only for the location) is demonstrated by their new project: an open air cinema for indipendent productions in the garden of the center.
I did not have the chance to get there yet, but this article appeared on the Daily News made me look forward to watching a good movie under a starry sky.
The inauguration of the 2010 edition of CARAVAN Festival of the Arts will take place on Thursday, January 28, 2010. The festival, hosted by St. John´s Church in Maadi, aims at building bridges of understanding and respect between East and West and will feature an Art Exhibition with 40 artists, a Literature evening with Anglo-Afghan author Tahir Shah, the screening of the movie "Hasan and Morqos" and will end on Wednesday, February 3 with a concert by Cairo based Iraqi Oud player Naseer Shamma.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
- Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marcello Mottadelli with soloist Hassan Moataz (Cello) present works from Abdel Rahim, Lalo and Mendelssohn in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM
- Cairokee (Modern Arabic rock) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 9:30 PM
Sunday, January 24, 2010
- Omar Khairat piano recital in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Mohamed Hamdy (Clarinet) recital in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Heritage Ensemble for Arab Music conducted by Farouk El Bably at the Arab Music Institute, 8:00 PM
- Yorka Band (Andalusian music) at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 8:00 PM
- El-Nil Troupe for folk instruments (Folk music and songs) at Beit Al-Suheimi 8:00 PM
- Bashir (Nubian music) at the After8 Club, 10:00 PM
- The Blue Tone Quartet (Jazz standards9 at the Cairo Jazz Club, 9:30 PM
Monday, January 25, 2010
- Wust El Balad (Modern oriental and jazz fusion) at the After8 Club, 10:00 PM
- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM
- Umm Al-Nour Coptic Choir at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
- Moushira Issa piano recital in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Mahmoud Osman Chamber music concert in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Nass Makan Mawawil Evening with Sayed Imam at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM
- Cocoon Band (Latin jazz) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 10:30 PM
- Umm Al-Nour Coptic Choir at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
Wednesday, Jaunuary 27, 2010
- Gala Concert of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Giuseppe Monopoli with guest Mari Kumamoto (Piano) in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Mazaher Ensemble (Music of the Delta) at the Makan Centre 9:00 PM
- Ali El Haggar (Arab music) at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 9:00 PM
- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM
- Offbeat Band at the After8 Club, 10:00 PM
- Umm Al-Nour Coptic Choir at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
Thursday, January 28, 2010
- Nesma Abdel Aziz Ensemble in the Open Air Theatre of Cairo Opera House, 8:000 PM
- Abdel Halim Nowera Ensemble for Arab Music conducted by Salah Ghoubashi in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Emam Hamdy Guitar recital in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Sahra (Rai music) at the After8 Pub, 10:00 PM
- Bayan Hala Band (Contemporary Egyptian music) at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 8:00 PM
- Michael Quinn and the Bourbon Kings (Americana, Roots music and rock) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 10:30 PM
- Rawae` Al Nagham Troupe with singer Reem Kamal (Classical Arabic music) at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
Friday, January 29, 2010
- Orchestra “I Solisti Veneti” (Italy) conducted by Marco Scimone in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Redeemers (Rock) at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 8:30 PM
- Flute and Piano recital with Rania Yehia and Elena Dzamashvili presenting works from Ali Hassan, Shamma, Glinka, Bizet, Mozart and Bartok in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- The Riff Band at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 8:00 PM
- Konouz Ensemble for Arab Music at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
- Salalem (Arabic music) at the After8 Pub, 10:00 PM
- Umm Al-Nour Coptic Choir at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
- Sukun with Ismail Fawzy (ex Wust El Balad) and Shady Nagy (ex Massar Egbari) at the Rawabet Space for Performing Arts (next to Townhouse Gallery), 9:00 PM
I like to explore local music and always rejoice when I find some gems. I even started to give away my favourite local records as present to friends and more often then not recipients are pleasantly surprised.
Why then not trying to share my favourite records with the blog readers as well and hopefully widen the audience for these works? Records might be new or old, classic, rock, world or jazz, ... what really matters is that they are on sale in Egypt and ... that I like them.
First of the series is HAZEM SHAHEEN´s "Things that I miss", a wonderful instrumental work from this great oud player from Alexandria that came out last year under the Lebanese label Incognito. Shaheen is accompanied by Hany Bdeir on oriental percussions, Miles Jay on double bass and Nawar Abbessi on piano. The atmospheres evoked by this record are just magic.
You can read a better review than any I could possibly write and listen to samples by clicking here.
It is the first time I receive a comment in Arabic and, with my pathetic knowledge, it took me some time to guess that it might concern a change of schedule in the performances of the Tannoura troupe, from 8:30 to 7:30 PM. Will an Arab reader be so kind to read and conferm? You´ll find the full text clicking on the latest recent comment. Thanks in advance.
The movie "Un Prophète" (2009) by Jacques Audiard will be screened tomorrow, Tuesday January 19, 2010 in the Open Air Theatre of the Cairo Opera House, free admission.
For more information, click here.
Given the many years it has been online - according to the editor claims - and the amount of time I devote to following the local music scene, I got surprisingly late to ROCK ERA online magazine. Even more surprising because it is indeed a well done magazine, full of interesting information, and offering a well stocked library of free downloads.
It has the admirable aim of promoting local young rock and metals bands and is therefore worthy of wide circulation. If you do not know it yet, check it out and spread the word.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
- Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by French Guest Conductor Alain Paris with Iman Moustafa (Soprano) present music from Lalo, Massenet, Charpentier, Faurè and Ravel in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- Al-Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group at the Ghouri Caravansaray 8:30 PM
- Salalem (Modern Egyptian Folk) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 9:30 PM
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
- Mariza (Portugal) fado concert in the Main Hall of the 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
- Crash Boom Bang (Funk and Dance floor covers) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 10:30 PM
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
- Cairo Opera House Quartet present music from Beethoven and Borodin in the Small Hall of 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
- Hymns Heart Troupe (Religious songs) at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
Thursday, January 21, 2010
- Basata Band (Contemporary Egyptian music) at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 8:00 PM
- The Riff Band at the Cairo Jazz Club, 10:30 PM
- Abdel Halim Nowera Ensemble for Arab Music at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
- Sahra (Rai music) at the After8 Pub, 10:00 PM
Friday, January 22, 2010
- Dragana del Monaco (Mezzo-soprano/Serbia) recital in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- The Riff Band at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek, 8:00 PM
- Salalem (Arabic music) at the After8 Pub, 10:00 PM
The world famous young star of fado Mariza will sing in the Main Hall of the Cairo Opera House on Tuesday, January 19 at 8:00 PM. For lovers of this music genre this is an event not to be missed and I expect tickets to sell out fast.
If you want to know more about Mariza you can click here for her official website, here for her myspace blog, and here to read a very good article about her published by the Guardian.
It might sound ridiculous but since I've decided to allow comments on posts, I haven't find yet a decent add-on to display the recent comments on the main page. The one blogger offers does not make reference to the post the comment is about and others that I found on the web with this option I was not able to import in the blog. As a result, comments that refer to old posts get lost in the old pages of the blog and for some of them it is really a pity (can somebody help here?).
On Dec. 24, for instance, CLEG received a comment from Allan Evans on the Nov. 1 post titled "Note from a life of music - Selim Sednaoui on Edward Said". For its relevance, to me and to at least another couple of readers, I decided to create a post and display it here as well:
"We will publish Tiegerman's complete recordings in March 2010, including the Saint-Saens Egyptian concerto, composed while the Frenchman was on Roda Island. See www.arbiterrecords.com for updates."
Thanks for the info Allan. Looking forward to the recordings.
CLEG is looking forward to accompanying you in what I am sure will be an exciting cultural year on Cairo's shores of the river Nile. A big thank you to all who shared information and contributed comments ( ... and compliments) and an apology for not having been able to cover the winter holiday season as anticipated. A technical problem and my unavailability have concurred to let CLEG fall silent for the past three weeks (that's also why comments are posted only today); sorry!
- Sharara Sextet in the Small Hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- El Ahlam Heritage Ensemble conducted by Ahlam Ahmed at the Gomhouria Theatre, 8:00 PM
- Samaa Troupe conducted by Intesar Abdel-Fattah (Sufi music) at the Ghouri Palace., 8:00 PM
- El Nil Troupe for Folk Instruments at Beit El Suheimi, 8:00 PM
- The Hot Potato Project (Jazz Fusion/Afro Beat originals) at the Cairo Jazz Club 9:30 PM
Monday, January 11, 2010
- Mohamed Hamdi (Clarinet), Victoria Kapralova (Cello), Haitam Ibrahim (Piano) present works from Beethoven and Brahms at Kasr El-Fenoun in the Opera Grounds, 8:00 PM
- Ahmed Rabie Band (Jazz Fusion) in the Small hall of Cairo Opera House, 8:00 PM
- 19th Band (70’s rock) at the Cairo Jazz Club, 9:30 PM
