The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Image via Biblioteca Alexandrina

You may have already heard that the Library of Alexandria is hosting a number of concerts in the coming weeks. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s International Summer Festival, now preparing its twentieth edition, will kickstart with a concert by Massar Egbari on the 3rd of August. Many beloved Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and international artists will perform exciting shows, including Jordanian bands JadaL and El-Morabbaa, who will close the festival on September 1st. Other performers include Omar Khairat, Hany Shenouda, Hisham Kharma, Akher Zapheer, and Ali El Haggar, and this is just scratching the surface of the outstanding musicians scheduled to headline.

While these concerts are reason enough to visit Alexandria in the coming weeks, this year’s edition of the International Summer Festival is set to have so many more exciting events. From theatre performances to workshops, you won’t want to miss it! The festival aims to put the historic city of Alexandria on the map as a hub for the arts in the Mediterranean and revive its pivotal role throughout history.

Image via Biblioteca Alexandrina

Among the great non-musical performances we’re scheduled to see this year, there will be a plethora of theatrical plays. Captain Yehia El-Nashed’s Team, a play written and directed by Ahmed Samir, will be held on August 4th; Rituals of Signs and Transformations, written by Saadallah Wanos and directed by Mohamed Abdelmoula, will take place on the 8th; and I Am Carmen, written and directed by Samaa Ibrahim, is scheduled for the 12th of the month. A performance by standup comedian Alaa El Sheikh is also planned for the ninth of August.

If you thought that that was all, we have news for you: so many workshops in various disciplines of the arts are also scheduled to take place. A workshop in songwriting will be hosted by Hazem El-Weify, Composition and Interplay will be hosted by Laura Kipp Due from Germany (the event is free but only open for musicians), and theatre acting will be hosted by Saeed Kabeel. Film producer Mohamed Taymour will also be hosting a theatre acting masterclass, and to add the icing on the cake, a competition for underground bands, Neema Horra, will make its comeback this year.

We have only scratched the surface, so if you’re interested in seeing the full schedule and purchasing your ticket to one of these incredible events, you can check it out through this link.