RAMADAN NIGHTS
Amir Bashtak Palace
Al-Muaaz St, Tel 02 2787 9187
Thurs 30, 9.30pm: Singing recital by Ibrahim Rashed.
Amir Taz Palace
27 Al-Syoufiya St, off Al-Salebiya St, Al-Khalifa district, Tel 02 2514 2581
Thurs 30, 9.30pm: Sheikh Mahmoud El-Tohamy.
Fri 31, 9.30pm: Bahgaga band.
Sat 1 April, 9.30pm: Al-Nour Wa Amal Orchestra.
Sun 2, 9.30pm: Oshaq Al-Nagham troupe, led by artist Mohamed Abdel-Sattar.
Wed 5, 9.30pm: “Arab Harmony” concert by the music team for the group playing at Ain Shams University.
Thurs 6, 9pm: Hawas band.
Arab Oud House (Beit Al-Harrawi)
Mohamed Abdu St, behind Al-Azhar Mosque, Tel 02 2510 4174
Sat 1 April, 9pm: Singer Islam Abdel-Aziz and his band.
Arab Music Institute
22 Ramsis St, Tel 02 2574 3373
Fri 31, 9.30pm: The Arab Music Heritage ensemble.
Tues 4, 9.30pm: Takht Masr ensemble gives a concert featuring singer Iman Abdel-Ghani and conducted by maestro Maged Sorour.
Thurs 6 April, 9.30pm: Al-Enshad Al-Dini troupe performs religious songs.
Beit Al-Seheimi
Al-Muaaz St, Al-Darb Al-Asfar Alley, Al-Gamalya District, Tel 02 2787 8865
Every Sunday, 9pm: The Nile Troupe for Folk Instruments, conducted by Abdel-Rahman Al-Shafaai, performs dances and songs from Upper Egypt on mizmar, tabla and other traditional musical instruments.
Every Friday, 9pm: “Al-Aragouz wa Khayal Al-Zel” (The Shadow Puppet), a free public performance by clowns in Al-Muaaz Street, presented by Wamda and directed by Nabil Bahgat.
Thurs 30, 9pm: Semsemya group from Port-Said performs the folk dances and songs of the Suez Canal cities.
Thurs 6, 9pm: A concert by Sheikh Mahmoud El-Hedewy.
Beit Al-Sinnari
Mongue Ally, Behind Al Saneya Secondary School, Al Sayeda Zeinab Square, Cairo, Tel 02 2390 9471
Thurs 30, 9pm: The 8th round of the "Nights of Spiritual Music" festivity is held in the month of Ramadan every year, with the aim of celebrating this blessed month, spreading culture and preserving the Egyptian heritage, designed by artist Entisar Abdel-Fattah. It features in the opening ceremony Samaa ensemble for religious chanting and Alhour ensemble.
Fri 31, 9pm: A concert features harpist Manal Mohieldin and Oriental Fingers troupe.
Sat 1 April, 9pm: The Saqi ensemble for religious chanting.
Sun 2, 9pm: Sharara Sextet features violinist Hassan Sharara.
Mon 3, 9pm: The Message of Peace band performs religious and spiritual songs (concerts are free).
Cairo Opera House
Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Tel 02 2737 0602/2736 0361, box office 02 2739 0132/0144
Main Hall
Sat 1 April, 9.30pm: The Cairo Symphony Orchestra.
Sun 2, 9.30pm: A concert features singer Mohamed El-Helw, together with opera star Riham Abdel-Hakim, accompanied by the Abdel-Halim Noweira Arab Music ensemble, conducted by maestro Ahmed Amer.
Thurs 6, 9.30pm: Ali El-Haggar and his band.
Open-Air Theatre
Sat 1 April, 9.30pm: Ramadan Nights opening with the military music and the Talents Development Centre concert.
Sun 2, 9.30pm: Ayamna El-Helwa band.
Wed 5, 9.30pm: Dina El-Wedidi and her band.
Small Hall
Sat 1 April, 9.30pm: A Ramadan evening.
Sun 2, 9.30pm: A Ramadan evening.
Mon 3, 9.30pm: A Ramadan evening.
Tues 4, 9.30pm: A Ramadan evening.
Thurs 6, 9.30pm: A Ramadan evening.
The Cultural Park
Al Sayeda Zeinab Square, Cairo
Wed 5, 9pm: Salam (peace), the Cultural Park’s choir.
Al-Gumhouriya Theatre
12 Al-Gumhouriya St, Abdin, Tel 02 2390 7707
Sat 1 and Sun 2, 9.30pm: Umm Al-Nour Choir performs Coptic songs and hymns.
Al-Ghouri Caravansary
Mohamed Abdou St, off Al-Muaaz St and Al-Azhar St, Tel 02 2514 7475
Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes perform to live Sufi music
(Performances every Sat and Wed, 7.30pm).
Al-Ghouri Dome
111 Al-Azhar St, Al-Ghouriya, Tel 02 2506 0227
Thurs 30, Fri 31 and Thurs 6 April, 9pm: A concert of spiritual music and singing, designed by artist Entisar Abdel-Fattah.
Sat 1 and Wed 5, 9pm: Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes perform to live Sufi music.
Sun 2, 9pm: Religious chanting by munshid (religious chanter) Sheikh Ehab Younis.
Mon 3, 9pm: Singer Ali El-Helbawi and his band.
Tues 4, 9pm: A concert features Al Haramlek troupe and Los Giotanos band.
Makan
1 Saad Zaghloul St, Al-Mounira, Cairo, Tel 2792 0878
Every Tuesday, 8-10pm: 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, 8-10pm: 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 30, 9pm: Egyptian singer and multi-instrumentalist Kiiko delves in alternative pop and indie rock in his original music.
Fri 31, 9pm: “Slapsticks” a stand-up comedy show with hilarious comedians Ahmed El-Bokhary, Mohamed Habib, and Omar El-Hassan.
The Spot mall, infront of AUC Gate 4, New Cairo
Sat 1 April, 9pm: The Comedy Bunch’s stand-up comedy open-mic night.
Mon 3, 9pm: Arabic singing carries the authentic Egyptian identity performed by oud player Saad Eloud and his band.
Rawabet Art Space
3 Hussien El Meaamar St. ext. of Mahmoud Basiouny St, from Talaat Harb Square, Downtown
Wed 5 April, 9pm: Abul-Gheit ensemble presents a repertoire of Zikr music from the Delta of Egypt. Sufism and Zar traditions merged together in Abul-Gheit village (Qalyubiyya) and Delta of Egypt through the activity of Sufi Tariqa, founded by the dervish Hassan Abul-Gheit in the XIX century.
Sat 8, 9pm: The Comedy Bunch is bringing back a stand-up comedy night for its Ramadan edition with comedians: Ebbo, Mohamed Halawa, Ahmed El-Hareedy, and Ahmed Hassan.
El Sawy Culturewheel
End of 26th of July St, underneath the 15th of May Bridge, Zamalek, Tel 2736 8881/6178/2737 4448
Wisdom Hall
Thurs 30, 9pm: A concert of Ramadan songs, conducted by maestro Iman Genedy.
Sat 1 April, 9pm: Sheikh Zein Mahmoud.
Sun 2, 9.30pm: Religious chanting by Abo Shaar Brothers, a Muslim Sunni Syrian band.
Thurs 6, 9pm: El Sawy Culturewheel Puppet Theatre show revives the concerts of Umm Kolthoum performing two of her much-loved songs.
Word Hall
Fri 31, 9pm: “Ramadan Gathering” a stand-up comedy show.
Tahrir Cultural Centre (TCC)
AUC’s Tahrir Campus, Al-Sheikh Rihan St, off Tahrir Square, Tel 02 2615 2694/01280009077
Main Garden
Thurs 30, 8.30pm (Free and open to the public): “Welcoming Ramadan”
concert Zaii Zaman (which translates to ‘the way it was in the old days’) is an ensemble that, as its name indicates, remains faithful to many traditions of Arabic music through the format of the ensemble and music they perform.
Ewart Memorial Hall
Mon 10 April, 8.30pm (Free and open to the public): Ramadan Nights’ screening and songs presents “Musalsalat: Now and Then”, an entertaining look at how Ramadan musalsalat series has evolved over the years. A live performance of the most popular musalsalat songs.
Talaat Harb Cultural Centre
Al-Sayyeda Nafissa St, Zeinhom area, Tel 02 2362 2647/ 2362 8174
Thurs 6, 9pm: Al-Tanoura whirling dervishes perform to live Sufi music.
Teatro Arkan
Arkan Plaza, El Sheikh Zayed, 6 October City, Giza
Thurs 6, 9.30pm: Masar Egbari band will perform songs you never heard them perform before. They will host and celebrate new talents and musicians on stage; and will play their beautiful arrangement of Enshad (religious chanting) and Sufi music.
Zed Park
El Sheikh Zayed, 6 October City
Fri 31, 10pm: The Elite stand-up comedy show.
ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria Opera House (Sayed Darwish Theatre)
Fouad St, Mahatat Al-Raml, Alexandria, Tel 03/486 5106
Thurs 6 April, 9.30pm: A concert of classical Arab songs by Ala Mar Alagial (over the generations) troupe.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Chatby, Alexandria 21526, Tel (03) 4839999
Conference Centre Main Hall
Fri 31, 9pm: A dance performance by El-Wahag Troupe for Ballet and Free Dance, directed by Sherif El-Guindy.
Sat 1 April, 9pm: Al-Hadra troupe for religious chanting.
Sun 2, 9pm: Ghenwa Children Choir.
Fri 7, 9pm: Harp recital by Manal Mohie-Eldin, accompanied by the BA Orchestra and the Oriental Strokes Ensemble.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 30 March, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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