Celebration of 36th Anniversary of Cairo Opera House

03 October 2024

Under the patronage of Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture, the Cairo Opera House, under the supervision of Dr. Lamiaa Zayed, celebrates its 36th anniversary with a special artistic celebration, reaffirming its pioneering role as a cultural beacon and hub of arts and creativity. The main event takes place at the Main Hall on Tuesday, 8 October 2024 at 8 p.m.
More than 500 artists from the Cairo Opera House’s different companies and ensembles participate in the celebration, including the Cairo Opera Orchestra, Religious Song Ensemble, Heritage Arab Music Ensemble, Alexandria Opera Ensemble for Music and Arab Singing, National Arab Music Ensemble, Abdel Halim Nowera Ensemble for Arab Music, Cairo Opera Company, the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, Talents Development Center, Egyptian Modern Dance Theatre Company, Forsan El Sharq Heritage Company, A Cappella Choir and Cairo Opera Choir.
Dr. Lamiaa Zayed stated that the celebration will commence with a musical performance by the Arab Singing Class of the Talents Development Center at the outdoor area of the Cairo Opera House, conducted by Dr. Soheir Hussein.
Indoors, the evening will start at 8 p.m. and will run as follows:
- Speech by Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture
- Speech by Dr. Lamiaa Zayed, Chairman of the Board
- Documentary film on the history of the Cairo Opera House since its establishment
- Songs from the vast repertoire of Arab music presented the Religious Song Ensemble led by Maestro Hazem El Kasbagy, the Heritage Arab Music Ensemble led by Maestro Mohamed El Mogy, the Alexandria Ensemble for Music and Arab Singing Ensemble led by Maestro Alaa Abdel Salam, the National Arab Music Ensemble led by Maestro Mostafa Helmy, and Abdel Halim Nowera Ensemble for Arab Music led by Maestro Ahmed Amer
- Documentary on the most significant performances presented by the Cairo Opera House from its opening until 2009
- Harp performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Second Waltz and Pascual Marquina’s “España Cañí” (Spanish Gypsy Dance) performed by members of the Cairo Opera House Harp Ensemble
- A scene from Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty” Ballet performed by the soloists of the Cairo Opera Ballet Company and accompanied by the Cairo Opera Orchestra, led by Maestro Ahmed Farag
- A scene from “Korsakov’s Scheherazade” choreographed by Walid Aouni and performed by soloists of the Egyptian Modern Dance Theatre Company and Forsan Al Sharq Heritage Company while accompanied by the Cairo Opera Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Mohamed Saad Basha
- Documentary on the Cairo Opera House’s most recent and notable performances.
- The Triumphal Scene from Verdi’s Opera “Aida” presented by soloists of the Cairo Opera Company, accompanied by the Cairo Opera Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Nader Abbassi, and with the participation of the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, Cairo Opera Choir and A Cappella Choir.
The Cairo Opera House was inaugurated on 10 October 1988. Since then, it has become the main arts venue and a vital center for artistic creativity in Egypt, offering a platform for serious art forms such as ballet, opera, classical Western and Arab music. In addition, this prestigious edifice hosts cultural salons, art exhibitions, and organizes various music and singing festivals.