New film across cinemas starting 17 December
- Avatar: Fire and Ash, starring Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver
- Bury Me When I’m Dead, starring Charlotte Hope, Devon Terrell, Makenzie Leigh
- The Voice of Hind Rajab, starring Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Clara Khoury
Aida Al-Ayoubi - music
Thursday 18 December, 8pm
Theatro Arkan, Sheikh Zayed City, Cairo
Al-Ayoubi's singing career launched in 1991 with her biggest hit Ala Bali (On my Mind). As singer, composer and songwriter, she produced three albums, Ala Bali, Rafiq Omy and Min Zaman, between 1991 and 1996.
Al-Ayoubi then disappeared from the music scene and returned quietly in 2004 with a Sufi music album that was partially broadcasted on Egyptian TV in Ramadan. In 2011 she joined the band Cairokee for their hit song Ya El-Midan (Oh Square), a nostalgic favourite among many revolutionaries.
In recent years, Al-Ayoubi started performing more frequently across numerous Egyptian stages.
Cairo Steps
Thursday 18, Friday 19 December, 8pm
Cairo Opera House, main hall, Zamalek, Cairo
Cairo Steps is an acclaimed international musical ensemble founded in 2002 by Egyptian-German musician and producer Basem Darwisch, who is the group's oud player and leader.
The band's signature sound is a highly sophisticated fusion that blends traditional Egyptian and Oriental grooves, spiritual Sufi traditions, and ethnic music with the improvisational freedom of modern jazz, Western classical elements, and contemporary electronic sounds.
The ensemble was awarded the German Jazz Gold Award in 2018 for their album Flying Carpet, a collaboration with the German jazz quartet Quadro Nuevo.
Al-Naddaha
Thursday 18, Friday 19 December, 8pm
Gomhoreya Theatre, Gomhoreya Street, Downtown Cairo
Al-Nadaha is a performance by the Forsan El Sharq Heritage Company, choreographed and directed by Radwa Hamed.
The performance is inspired by Al Naddaha, a popular and enduring figure in Egyptian folklore, often described as a naiad-like female spirit, or a water jinn (genie), believed to haunt the banks and canals of the Nile River.
The legend is particularly strong in the rural and agricultural areas of Egypt, where people historically spent more time near the water at night. The story gained significant popularity during the 20th century.
Forsan El Sharq Heritage Company (literally The Knights of the Orient) is an Egyptian dance heritage company established in 2009 by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. Its core mission is to revive and reinterpret Egyptian and Arab cultural heritage through choreographed dance and theatrical movement, blending folk materials with dramatic storytelling on stage.
Wael El-Fashny
Friday 19 December, 7.30pm
El-Sawy Culturewheel, River Hall, 26th of July Street, Zamalek, Cairo
El-Fashny is known for his improvisational performances of mawal, a Middle Eastern form of vocal music.
El-Fashny established his profile through collaborations with singers and bands such as Mohamed Tharwat, Mahmoud El-Tohamy, Ihab Yunis, Mohamed Sa’ad, Cairokee and Basata, among many others. He has since made a name for himself as a leading performer in numerous shows.
Sharmoofers
Friday 19 December, 8pm
City Garage - Parking b1: Passage Inside Almaza Airport, Sheraton Al Matar, El Nozha, Cairo
The Egyptian band is known for their unique blend of music genres, including reggae and rock. The band was formed in 2012 and quickly gained popularity in the Egyptian music scene.
Sharmoofers released two albums: Paranoia (2015) and Enfessam (2019).
One of their most popular songs, Khamsa Santy, garnered over 16 million views on YouTube.
Bahaa Sultan X Reham Abdelhakim
Friday 19 December, 8pm
Fustat Hills Park (Tilaal Al-Fustat) in Old Cairo
This double bill is part of the ongoing Fustat Winter Festival, aiming to reproduce the summer events like the New Alamein Festival by bringing world-class entertainment to a strategic central location.
Bahaa Sultan is often classified under pop and “shaabi” Egyptian music. His style blends modern/pop sensibilities with elements of Egyptian/popular music — making his songs appealing to a broad audience. He rose to popularity in the late 1990s / early 2000s — a time when the Egyptian pop-music industry was booming and many young singers emerged. His early success helped open doors for younger singers in the industry.
Reham Abdelhakim is a celebrated Egyptian singer and actress who first gained recognition for portraying the young Um Kalthoum in the 1999 television biopic series Um Kalthoum. Since then, she has built a successful musical career, performing signature works of Arabic heritage, releasing singles and albums, and starring in tribute concerts dedicated to Um Kalthoum.
Ibrahim Maalouf
Saturday 20 December, 7pm
Concert Hall - New Capital
The globally acclaimed Lebanese-French trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf is set to bring his highly anticipated Kalthoum – The Anniversary Tour to Cairo.
The concert series celebrates the 10th anniversary of his gold-certified album, Kalthoum, an ambitious and profound tribute to the Egyptian diva.
Following a triumphant world tour in 2016, Maalouf is resurrecting this project for a limited, 30-concert run across France and Europe, with the Cairo performance serving as a particularly resonant stop for this deeply Egyptian-rooted work.
Tamer Hosny - music
Saturday 20 December, 8pm
Abdeen Palace, Cairo
A pop singer, songwriter, and actor, Tamer Hosny began his career in 2002. He first came to public attention when he appeared on mixed tapes with Sherine. He has become one of the biggest pop celebrities in Egypt and the Arab region.
Hosny released over 13 top-selling albums. His songs appeared in several television series. Apart from his solo performances across the Arab region, Hosny also collaborated with international artists such as Snoop Dogg and Shaggy and Arab musicians like Rim Banna, Latifa, Souad Massi, and Ramy Sabry.
Neveen Allouba Christmas Concert
Sunday 21 December, 8pm
Cairo Opera House, main hall, Zamalek, Cairo
In this 34th Nevine Allouba Christmas Concert, the singer Neveen Allouba and Friends present a programme filled with classical, musical theatre, pop and christmas hits.
Allouba will be accompanied by her friends and students from over 30 years of her teaching in Egypt, in addition to a number of Allouba’s new proteges.
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