Teatro noir's founder Mohamed Rabee. Photo courtesy of Mohamed Rabee
Teatro Noir, founded by Egyptian artist and soloist Mohamed Rabee, offers a unique blend of Egyptian music and songs that spans from classic to modern, with authenticity at its core.
Twice a week, audiences gather to enjoy the voices of established and emerging Egyptian performers.
The journey
Rabee told Ahram Online that he founded Noir after years of working in El Thaqafa Al Gamahiria (Mass Culture) and independent troupes.
In 2014, he started singing at Cairo University, where he won first prize, joined the university’s music troupe, and performed monthly under the dome.
Later, Rabee said, I joined the National Orchestra of the Ministry of Sports and Youth from 2017 to 2020.
He added that his passion for music legend Sayed Darwish led him to the Lovers of Sayed Darwish NGO, where he conducted research and connected with Darwish’s family through his great-grandson, Mohamed Hassan Said Darwish.
He also performed with the Said Darwish Troupe until 2023.
In 2015, Rabee joined the El-Warsha troupe, Egypt's first independent theatre troupe, which sharpened his stage skills and gave him exposure through heritage songs and storytelling.
A Noir is born
“In 2021, I imagined a place that combined everything — a rehearsal room, a training space, a theatre, and a café in an artistic atmosphere,” Rabee said.
From here, Teatro Noir was born. It first opened in a small venue in Bab El Louq. Four years later, Rabee managed to move to a larger space that now accommodates a growing audience.
Today, Teatro Noir hosts music concerts twice a week, celebrating the legacies of Egypt’s great composers.
The Mission
The word "Noir" in music refers to the unit of time marked by four steps, the base of the metronome. “Everyone has their own Noir,” Rabee explained.
Noir gained popularity among young audiences through videos in which Rabee and Mostafa El Zahed reimagined popular songs with old rhythms.
“We aim to entertain and also educate through our themed music nights dedicated to composers such as Zakaria Ahmed, Sayed Darwish, and Monir Morad. Many people don’t know the full extent of their work,” Rabee added.
“I believe old songs endure because they are genuine, well-crafted, and created by true masters. That’s why they will live forever,” he concluded.
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