The 13th Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF)
(1-26 October 2025)
Falaki Theatre
AUC Tahrir Campus, 24 Falaki St, Downtown, Cairo, Tel 012 88721446
Falaki Mainstage Theatre
Sun 19 and Fri 24, 8pm: The Light Within explores the notion of inner light. How do we continue to shine in dark times? How can we stand in solidary, in unity, in community? On stage, a dance trio plays with the edges of light and dark. Concept and choreography by Shaimaa Shoukry, assistant choreographer Nowwar Salem, music by Ahmed Saleh, Cellist Shaymaa Shoukry, bass guitarist Mahmoud Waly, dancers: Besan Ja’ara, Hanin Tarik, and Nibal Abu Dan, Costume design by Hanin Tarek.
Wed 22, 10pm-10.45pm: DRONE- Testimonies and Music, written and directed by Andrea Assaf, is a multimedia theatre exploration of the drone as a metaphor for desensitisation to global violence and the effects of remote-control warfare on the human soul. It also centres the quest of moral injury–the psychological and spiritual wounds caused by acting against one’s own moral beliefs. Testimonies & Music presents a reworked version of DRONE, featuring three characters known as “The Survivors.” Their text is based on real-life testimonies by witnesses and survivors of U.S. drone strikes, written and performed as multi-voice poetry. The poetry is underscored by vocal droning traditions from the U.S. South, to Southwest/Central Asia and North Africa, presented alongside an interactive media design.
Writing and direction by Andrea Assaf, performed by Lubana Al Quntar, Andrea Assaf, Eylem Basaldi, Dalia Bassiouny, Kathy Randels, Aida Shahghasemi, Ashley Wilkerson, and local guest artists, with projection and media design by Eva Auster.
The 33 Arab Music Festival and Conference
(16-25 October 2025)
Arab Music Institute
22 Ramsis St, Tel 02 2574 3373
Thurs 16, 8.30pm: The Arab Music Heritage Ensemble features singers: Reem Hamdy, Hannan El-Kholy, Ahmed Sabry and many more in a concert, conducted by maestro Farouk El-Bably.
Sun 19, 8.30pm: Al-Enshad Al-Dini (religious chanting) troupe, conducted by maestro Omar Farahat will give a concert featuring the opera stars Ashraf Zedan, Mohamed Abdel-Hamid, Ibrahim Farouk, Tamer Nagah, Samah Abbass, and many more.
Thurs 23, 8.30pm: The Female Umm Kolthoum troupe, conducted by maestro Maha El-Arabi and featuring singer Angham Mustafa performs Umm Kolthoum songs.
Cairo Opera House
Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Tel 02 2737 0602/2736 0361, box office 02 2739 0132/0144
The Fountain Theatre
Thurs 16, 8.30pm: The opening concert of the festival features superstar singer Amal Maher, conducted by maestro Tamer Faizy.
Fri 17, 8.30pm: A concert features the opera singers Hossam Hosny, Kenzy, Farah El-Mogui, Asmaa Kamal.
Superstar Medhat Saleh in a concert, accompanied by pianist Amr Selim, conducted by maestro Ahmed Amer.
Sat 18, 8.30pm: A concert features the opera singers Ayat Farouk, Mohamed Hassan, Moamen Khalil, Rehab Metawaa. A concert by Lebanese singer Wael Gassar, conducted by maestro Adel A’ayash.
Sun 19, 8.30pm: Opera singers Ghada Adam, Ahmed Effat, Inas Ezz Edeen, and Manar Samir features a classical Arab music concert. Superstar Hany Shaker gives a concert, conducted by maestro Mustafa Helmy.
Mon 20, 8.30pm: Pianist Omar Khairat and his orchestra.
Tues 21, 8.30pm: Singer Hannan Essam. Singer Mohamed El-Helw in a concert, conducted by maestro Mohamed El-Mogui. Opera star the powerful voice, Riham Abdel-Hakim.
Wed 22, 8.30pm: Opera singers Nehad Fathi, Rehab Omar, among others will give a classical Arab music concert. Superstar Ali El-Haggar will give a concert, conducted by maestro Ahmed Atef.
Thurs 23, 8.30pm: Opera star the powerful voice, Marwa Nagui. Singer Mohamed Tharwat in a concert, conducted by maestro Alaa Abdel-Salam.
Al-Gumhouriya Theatre
12 Al-Gumhouriya St, Abdin, Tel 02 2390 7707
Fri 17, 8.30pm: Umm Kolthoum Ensemble for Arab Music (Academy of Arts), accompanied by singer Sohaila Bahgat in a concert, conducted by maestro Mohamed Abdel-Sattar.
Sat 18, 8.30pm: The Abdel-Halim Noweira Arab Music ensemble, conducted by maestro Salah Ghoubasi, features the opera singers Abeer Amin, Essam Mahmoud among others. Moroccan singer Fouad Zabady.
Sun 19, 8.30pm: Al-Haramlek band, conducted by maestro Marwa Abdel-Moneim, features singer Aya Abdallah.
Thurs 23, 8.30pm: A concert by the National Arab Music ensemble, conducted by maestro Hazem El-Asabgy, featuring the opera singers. A concert features singer Nadia Mustafa.
ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria Opera House (Sayed Darwish Theatre)
Fouad St, Mahatat Al-Raml, Alexandria, Tel 03/486 5106
Thurs 16, 8.30pm: A concert by Alexandria Opera Company for Arab Music and Singing featuring singers: Mohamed Tarek, Walaa Tolba, and Ahmed Ragab. Moroccan singer Fouad Zabady gives a concert, conducted by maestro Hisham Nabawy.
Fri 17, 8.30pm: The National Arab Music ensemble, conducted by maestro Hazem El-Asabgy, features opera singers: Sameh Mounir, Ahmed Essam, Alaa Ayoub. A concert features singer Nadia Mustafa.
Sat 18, 8.30pm: The Arab Music Heritage Ensemble features singers: Ahmed Mohsen, Radwa Said, Mohamed Metwaly. Singer Mohamed El-Helw.
Sun 19, 8.30pm: The Abdel-Halim Noweira Arab Music ensemble features the opera singers Tamer Abdel-Elnaby and Ashraf Walid. A concert features rising star Hanein El-Shater, conducted by maestro Ahmed Amer.
Thurs 23, 8.30pm: Over the Generations band features Mohamed El-Kholy and Yasser Said.
Beit Al-Seheimi
Al-Moez St, Al-Darb Al Asfar Alley, Al-Gamaleya District, Tel 02 2787 8865
Every Sunday, 7.30pm (Free entry): The Nile Troupe for Folk Instruments, founded by artist Zakariya El-Hagawy, performs dances and songs from Upper Egypt on mizmar, tabla and other traditional musical instruments.
Every Friday, 8pm (Free entry): “Alaragouz wa Khayal Al-Zel” (The Karakouz and The Shadow Puppet), a free public performance by clowns in Al-Muaaz Street, presented by Wamda and directed by its founder and scripter Nabil Bahgat.
Al-Ghouri Dome
111 Al-Azhar St, Al-Ghouriya, Tel 02 2506 0227
Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes perform to live Sufi music
(Performances every Sat and Wed, 7pm).
Makan
1 Saad Zaghloul St, Al-Mounira, Cairo, Tel 2792 0878
Every Tuesday, 8pm: Mawawil features vocalists Hend and Sara in a repertoire of traditional music of the Nile Delta, Al Jaafra music played by Arab Tribes from Aswan and Nass Makan band.
Every Wednesday, 8pm: Zar music and songs by Mazaher ensemble featuring Umm Sameh, Umm Hassan and Nour Al-Sabah.
Room Art Space & Café
10 Etihad Al Mohamin, Garden City, Tel 01000 068 159
Thurs 16, 8pm: Wahm band.
Fri 17, 8pm: The Traveling Birds are back in Cairo with a new repertoire and an exceptional new singer: the breathtaking Paola. In French, English, Arabic, and Spanish, the band continue to revisit timeless classics.
Tues 21, 8pm: Karaoke night.
Thurs 23, 8pm: Sol band.
The Spot mall, infront of AUC Gate 4, New Cairo
Thurs 16, 9pm: Karaoke night.
Mon 20, 9pm: Random Project performs a variety of different singing styles with a unique personality.
Tues 21, 9pm: Cassette 90’s performs the highly sought-after songs of the 1990’s.
Wed 22 and Thurs 23, 9pm: Karaoke night.
El Sawy Culturewheel
End of 26th of July St, underneath the 15th of May Bridge, Zamalek, Tel 2736 8881/6178/2737 4448
River Hall
Thurs 16, 8pm: A concert by the unique voice Dina El-Wedidi.
Fri 17, 8pm: Andromida band.
Sat 18, 8pm (standing): A rock concert by The Silk N' Smoke band.
Thurs 23, 7.30pm (standing): The Japan Foundation in Cairo is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its founding. On this occasion, it will be hosting a “Japanese Pop Music Night - with Anime Music Artists” in Egypt. This event is being held in celebration of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development held in August 2025, aiming to be a bridge for cultural exchange between Japan and Egypt. Considering this background, artists, whose music for popular anime series has become a central topic of discussion, will be invited to give a live performance in Cairo: MAESHIMA MAYU, MYTH & ROID, and Sajou no hana.
Wisdom Hall
Fri 17, 8pm: Singing recital by Reem Ezz Eldeen.
Wed 22, 8pm: Singing recital by Fatma Zidan
Thurs 23, 8pm: A concert features jazz singer Noha Fekry.
ALEXANDRIA
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Chatby, Alexandria 21526, Tel (03) 4839999
Conference Centre Main Hall
Fri 17, 8pm: BA Orchestra and BA Youth Orchestra will give a concert, accompanied by a piano recital by Amir Awad, with
artistic supervision by Shady Abdel-Salam.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 14 October, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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