The concert begins with the Overture to Idomeneo, re di Creta (Idomeneo, King of Crete), KV 366. Idomeneo was Mozart's first "great" opera, composed when he was just 25 years old. The opera, in Italian, was composed to the libretto adapted by Giambattista Varesco, from a French text by Antoine Danchet.The concert begins with the Overture to Idomeneo, re di Creta (Idomeneo, King of Crete), KV 366. Idomeneo was Mozart's first "great" opera, composed when he was just 25 years old. The opera, in Italian, was composed to the libretto adapted by Giambattista Varesco, from a French text by Antoine Danchet.
 
Following the Sinfonia Concertante for Flute, Clarinet and Orchestra Op. 41 by Franz Danzi, a work in three movements: Allegro Moderato, Larghetto, and Allegretto polonaise, will feature two remarkable soloists: Ines Abdel Daim (Flute) and Mohamed Hamdy (Clarinet).
 
The second half of the concert is reserved for Beethoven's Symphony no. 4 in B flat Major, Op 60. Symphony no. 4 is too often overshadowed by composer's Eroica (symphony no. 3) and his well- known symphony no 5. One critic from Beethoven's time offered this opinion about the Fourth: "The composer follows an individual path in his works that can be seen again in this work; just how far this path is the correct one, and not a deviation, may be decided by others. To me the great master seems here, as in several of his recent works, now and then excessively bizarre, and thus, even for knowledgeable friends of art, easily incomprehensible and forbidding."
 
The conductor of the evening is Ahmed El Saedi, an Egyptian conductor and composer.  As a conductor, his permanent engagements have included the Wiener Virtuosen Chamber Orchestra (1986-1988), The Egyptian Chamber Orchestra (1989-1995), the Cairo Symphony Orchestra (1991- 2003) and since October 2003, the newly-founded Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra / the Egyptian Philharmonic Society.

Following the Sinfonia Concertante for Flute, Clarinet and Orchestra Op. 41 by Franz Danzi, a work in three movements: Allegro Moderato, Larghetto, and Allegretto polonaise, will feature two remarkable soloists: Ines Abdel Daim (Flute) and Mohamed Hamdy (Clarinet).

Saturday 4 June, Cairo Opera House, Main Hall

The second half of the concert is reserved for Beethoven's Symphony no. 4 in B flat Major, Op 60. Symphony no. 4 is too often overshadowed by composer's Eroica (symphony no. 3) and his well- known symphony no 5. One critic from Beethoven's time offered this opinion about the Fourth: "The composer follows an individual path in his works that can be seen again in this work; just how far this path is the correct one, and not a deviation, may be decided by others. To me the great master seems here, as in several of his recent works, now and then excessively bizarre, and thus, even for knowledgeable friends of art, easily incomprehensible and forb

The conductor of the evening is Ahmed El Saedi, an Egyptian conductor and composer.  As a conductor, his permanent engagements have included the Wiener Virtuosen Chamber Orchestra (1986-1988), The Egyptian Chamber Orchestra (1989-1995), the Cairo Symphony Orchestra (1991- 2003) and since October 2003, the newly-founded Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.

El Saedi is the main founder and chairman of the Egyptian Philharmonic Society, which since 2004 has become a serious platform for presenting a standard chamber orchestra repertoire, in addition to masterpieces of chamber music performed by Egyptian and international musicians of a high musical calibre.

He has been the guest conductor to orchestras in Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, South Korea, Syria, Turkey, the UK, and the USA. He is a resident of both Austria and Egypt, and became an Austrian citizen in 1985.

Cairo Symphony Orchestra, soloists: Ines Abdel Daim (Flute) and Mohamed Hamdy (Clarinet), conductor: Ahmed El Saedi

Saturday 4 June, Cairo Opera House Main Hall