Returning after two years of stoppage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival is taking place at the open-air arena until 10 August.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture, the launch of the festival was attended by Culture Minister Ines Abdel-Dayem, Tourism Minister Khaled Al-Anani, as well as Alexandria Governor Mohamed El-Sherif and a number of political and cultural figures.

Led by conductor Amro Selim, Medhat Saleh and his orchestra performed a number of his evergreen songs like El-Helm, Beban El-Hayah, Bahlam Ala Addy, Add El-Wad, Mafia, Waady, Ana Mesh Beid and El-Nour Makanouh Fil Oloob, as well as covers of Arabic classics like Shatt Eskenria, Talat Salamat and El-Helwa Dayer Shebakha.

Medhat Saleh, 61, concluded his concert with his late hit Ibn Masr with the crowd singing along to the lyrics.

The summer festival’s other performances will include Mohamed Mohsen (Sunday 7 August), Dina El-Wedidi (Monday 8 August), Tarek El-Arabi Tarkan (Tuesday 9 August) and concluding with Massar Egbari (Wednesday 10 August).

On Saturday 6 August, Opera’s Arabic Music Orchestra will perform the works of Oum Kalthoum and Baligh Hamdi. The concert is a substitute for Palestinian singer Nai Barghouti’s performance, whose concert has been delayed indefinitely after she was denied entry to the country at the Cairo Airport.