The Cairo Opera House has announced that Zorba ballet will be performed at the main hall on 7 and 8 July.

The move is an attempt to resume normal activity following the army's removal of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi.

The Zorba ballet was scheduled to be performed between 4 and 8 July, but the Cairo Opera House had suspended its activities until further notice due to recent widespread protests and changes in Egypt's political scene.

Cairo Opera Ballet Company and its artistic director expressed their concern regarding the future of the Egyptian ballet. Their worries were triggered by Islamist statements targeting ballet as an art form, with one Salafist MP calling it "art of nudity."

These statements were also behind the ballet dancers staging fragments of Zorba at the culture ministry sit-in. The sit-in, which lasted 29 days, was launched by Egyptian artists and intellectuals on 5 June in opposition to the sackings of many leading figures from Egypt's cultural scene and against the 'Brotherhoodisation' of the Egyptian culture.

Following the deposing of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and the unveiling of Egypt's political map by the military, Zorba ballet returns to the Cairo Opera House.

Ahram Online visited the rehearsal room of the company a few days prior to the scheduled performance.

Programme:
7 and 8 July at 8pm
Cairo Opera House, Main Hall, Zamalek, Cairo