2 - 8 August 2001
Issue No.545
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 2 - 8 August 2001 Issue No.545 |
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Pack of Cards« I'm a little out of breath this week my cherrubs because I've taken out my running shoes and begun practising for the Association of Friends of the National Cancer Institute (AFNCI) November charity run. Yes, I know it might be too early to begin warming up for the event, but at my age I have to gradually work up the stamina to make sure that the 5km "fun run" really will be fun and not a nightmare of puffs and pants. But it is all for a good cause, in fact one of the noblest. The AFNCI launched a campaign to build a new children's cancer hospital, and with the energetic leadership of Patricia Pruden, as director of public relations, easily succored the support of big media names.
The AFNCI Festival 57357 will be held in November at Cairo Stadium under the slogan "Run Today, Build Tomorrow." The day will be packed with activities, and I have my heart set on the 5- km run. Of course there will also be the 1-km celebrity fun run but I will leave that to the lightweights. People as well as corporate teams are encouraged to make donations, and everyone who participates will have the opportunity to sign their name on a brick which will go on a sculpture in the hospital garden. And to recover from all this running, Abbas and his young friends have promised to treat us to a four-hour concert. That will surely be a welcome respite.
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But, meanwhile, the music scene is in full swing during these sweltering summer months. I have just heard from my ebullient colleague Reham El-Adawi that after a long period of absence, charming soprano Dalia Farouk will make an appearance at the Cairo Opera House Open-Air Theatre on 5 August. Farouk will sing a selection of international pop songs from some of the most prominent 1960s American musicals. More good news about Farouk my sweets, because the Fulbright Commission in Egypt granted the gifted vocalist a scholarship to learn the techniques of operatic singing after she finished a masters degree on the same subject at the University of California at Los Angeles.
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The Opera House Roman Theatre in Kom Al-Dekka, Alexandria is continuing its successful concerts at this gorgeous Mediterranean City. On 5 August, Iraqi musician and guitarist Ilham Al- Madfa'i will give a concert there, where the talented musician will woo his audience with music adapted from Arabic music heritage. This will be the artist's first concert in Egypt, but his fame is already widespread after strumming his guitar at several concerts in Europe and the Arab world. A little birdie tells me that Al-Madfa'i will have a special surprise for his Mediterranean audience, namely a new song he composed and dedicated to the people of Alexandria as an expression of his deep love for this city. Now that's a man of good taste.
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As for ballet news, my energetic friend and Opera House Director Samir Farag signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the artistic and executive director of the Russian Bolshoi Theatre. This is very exciting news to say the least, because it will promote regular performances by the Bolshoi in Cairo, cooperation between the two theatres in joint projects and the exchange of dancers as well as trainers in both troupes. But the best part is the fact that the agreement paves the way to establishing a new professional ballet school in Egypt. It might be too late for me, my twinkies, but I strongly advise the young ones to rush out and buy their tutus and tights.
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 My dearies, nothing tugs at my heartstrings more than the sound of wedding bells, especially when it is the fruit of a love affair. And that's how it was recently at the wedding of Amal Fawzi and Alaa Mursi. Amal, a journalist at Sabah El-Kheir magazine and daughter of Fawzi Alameddin and Fayza Imam, was wed to psychotherapist Alaa, son of the prominent actor Mahmoud Mursi and veteran actress Samiha Ayoub. It was a star- studded night to remember as guests included a plethora of Egypt's cinema superstars, artists, writers and directors. In fact, shortly before the party began at Geziret El-Dahab Hall in Safir Hotel in Dokki, actor Rashwan Tawfik and director Ahmed El- Nahhas were witnesses to the marriage contract.
Other on and off-camera guests were the beautiful Nadia Lutfi, the boisterous Shweikar, creative scriptwriter Osama Anwar Okasha, poet Gamal Bekheit, writers Ne'am El-Baz and Fathia El-Assal, as well as the charming Louis Greiss and his radiant actress wife Sanaa Gamil. But when you want a party to really rock, you look to the younger generation, namely the throng of the bride and groom's friends who danced the night away. Al-Ahram Weekly's Nesmahar Sayed was in the middle of it all, keeping the beat alive. In fact, Nesmahar's gift to the newly weds was a short poem telling the story of her college friend Amal's love and marriage to Alaa. And if that doesn't have you reaching for the tissue box, I don't know what will. |
 Stop the press! Cupid is working overtime this summer, specialising at shooting his arrows at journalists. Ibrahim Farghali, a promising novelist and Al-Ahram journalist tied the knot with Heidi Abdel-Latif a journalist at Koll El-Nass magazine last week. Most prominent among the guests were veteran novelist Sonallah Ibrahim and talented journalist Mohamed El-Shabbah, as well as the groom's best friend, Al-Ahram Weekly's cinema critic Hani Mustafa and his lovely wife Nermine Serhan. The headline news was that the happy couple spent their honeymoon splashing away at El-Ain El-Sokhna.
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Amira Hegazi El-Sayed made her family very proud last week when she graduated from Ain Shams University, Faculty of El-Alson [Languages] with a degree in English. It is no surprise that her big brother Mohamed, one of the security officers at Al-Ahram, was beaming with delight during a family gathering held in her honour to celebrate the big day.
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Television personality and long time supporter of the AFNCI Tarek Allam hosted a press conference attended by some 350 people where the AFNCI Festival 57357 was announced. Amal Fahmi, esteemed radio personality, called for everybody's support to make the future better for cancer patients. Celebrity singer Hisham Abbas was appointed fund-raising campaign chairman and he was overjoyed with "the honour" of being involved in this project.
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