The Cairo Symphony Orchestra returned to action on Saturday at the newly-established Fountain Theatre, an open-air stage erected in the fountain area at the Cairo Opera grounds.

The reopening comes after a four-month suspension amid the general coronavirus shutdown.

The concert, dubbed 'Romantic Affairs' and conducted by Hisham Gabr, showcased works by Romantic era composers. The concert saw strict precautionary measures against COVID-19, with even some of the performers wearing facemasks.

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The evening opened with Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46, followed by Beethoven's Romance in F major, Op. 50 for Violin and Orchestra featuring Finnish violin soloist Laura Virtanen-Amin.

In the second half of the evening, the orchestra performed George Bizet's L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1 & Suite No. 2.

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The Cairo Opera House launched activities on Thursday at the Fountain Theater with a classical Arab music concert featuring singers from Arab music troupes including Maye Farouk, Ahmed Effat, and Yasser Suleiman, alongside clarinetist Mohamed Fawzy and led by Mustafa Helmy.

The Open Theatre also saw a concert on Friday by Egyptian jazz drummer Yehya Khalil and his band.

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On Sunday, the National Arab Music Ensemble is introducing 'Wahabiat' concert, which will be conducted by Hazem El-Kasabgy, presenting a collection of masterpieces by late Egyptian composer Mohamed Abdel-Wahab. They will be performed by singers Iman Abdel-Ghani, Ayyat Farouk, Ahmed Essam and Ahmed Nafei.

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