It's rare these days, my dears, that I feel I've been transported into another world. Everything seems so drab and ordinary most of the time -- that's why I found myself unbelievably excited to attend Al-Ahram Weekly's very own caricaturist George Bahgory's 70th birthday party, held earlier this week.
You all know how fanciful Bahgory's work is. You can just imagine, then, the atmosphere at the party, which was held in his honour at the artist's downtown studio. The birthday was attended by a galaxy of Bahgory's close friends, whose presence alone was enough to turn the event into a true cultural gathering, featuring joyful songs, lovely music, and delicious food. My colleagues Galal Nassar, EzzatIbrahim and Dina Rashed were among the attendees.
Oud player Ahmed Nasser, who is a student at the Arabic Music Institute, accompanied gifted singer Evon Nabil, whose voice, Bahgory says, reminds him of Lebanese diva Fayrouz. Bahgory himself, meanwhile, spoke to his guests about his memories of Egypt and Paris and the characters who influenced him throughout his life -- people like late poet and caricaturist Salah Jahin and Palestinian caricaturist Nagi Al- Ali. He also spoke fondly of his days at Rose El- Youssef magazine, and the contributions he makes to our very own Weekly.
Bahgory has taken it upon himself to discover and adopt people he finds talented in any number of artistic fields. He says with the help of his many journalist and artist friends he hopes to turn his studio into a "protectorate" meant to preserve all these rare and valuable talents.
* The Salon of Art and Culture of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) organised a special session recently to celebrate leading figures in the world of Arabic music: Sayed Darwish, Zakariya Ahmed, Mohamed El- Qasabgi, Riyad El-Sonbati, Mohamed Abdel- Wahab, Farid El-Atrash and Baligh Hamdi. The session was attended by members of the late artists' families, as well as hundreds of people interested in Arabic music. Our very own cultural editor, my dear friend Mursi Saad El-Din, was there to receive a certificate of merit honouring his brother, late composer Baligh Hamdi. Amongst the entertainers who put on a show for the guests was ChristineEid, the talented little girl who sings a repertoire of popular songs by Umm Kulthoum. She was accompanied by organist Samir Yehia Ali.
* Part of the Cairo Opera House's celebration of Christmas this year will be a performance of the religious Egyptian opera "From Egypt I Called My Son", set to take place at the Main Hall, on 18 and 19 December. The one-act opera -- which tells the story of Jesus Christ's birth and the Holy Family's trip to Egypt as they fled from Roman persecution -- is composed by Naguie Youssef, and written and directed by Nabila Erian. The Cairo Opera Orchestra, led by Ivan Filev, as well as the hymns choir, which includes 200 cantors from Egypt's various churches, are participating in the event.
* At Picasso Art Gallery in Zamalek, a triple exhibition of drawings by three leading Egyptian artists -- Farid Fadel, Reda Abdel-Salam and Sayed Saadeddin -- is scheduled to be opened by the Culture Minister Farouk Hosni on 15 December. The exhibition explores the many variations in drawing styles available to artists, and includes quick sketches, studies, and preparatory drawings. Abdel-Salam's work focuses on the art of sketching, with the artist stressing the value of working directly from a model. Saadeddin's drawings show his fascination with "harvests" -- he manipulates humans, crops and animals in several variations on the theme. Fadel, meanwhile, displays a new collection of drawings with a focus on the life of fishermen in Alexandria.
I was thrilled, my dears, to learn from my colleague Reham El-Adawi, that international tenor Sobhi Bedeir, director of the Cairo Opera Company at the opera house, recently served as the head of the jury at the First International Singing Competition in Bevanio, Italy. The first Egyptian to occupy this prestigious postition, Bedeir has previously served as a member of the jury at the International Operatic Singing Competition in Bilbao, Spain, along with a group of the most prominent opera singers worldwide, including the international tenor Luidgi Alfa and bass Evegini Nestrenco.
In other music news, my sweets, I am pleased to tell you all about the Modern Folk Music Festival being organised by the Goethe Institute in cooperation with the Cervantes Institute, and with the support of the delegation of the European Union in Egypt. The festival -- which runs from yesterday until 16 December at Beit El-Suheimi -- will feature Egyptian, German and Spanish bands such as Wist El-Balad, BavaRio and Alboka, who create modern folk sounds by combining elements of their country's traditional music with influences from other countries.
Pack of Cards
You all know how fanciful Bahgory's work is. You can just imagine, then, the atmosphere at the party, which was held in his honour at the artist's downtown studio. The birthday was attended by a galaxy of Bahgory's close friends, whose presence alone was enough to turn the event into a true cultural gathering, featuring joyful songs, lovely music, and delicious food. My colleagues Galal Nassar, Ezzat Ibrahim and Dina Rashed were among the attendees.
* The Salon of Art and Culture of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) organised a special session recently to celebrate leading figures in the world of Arabic music: Sayed Darwish, Zakariya Ahmed, Mohamed El- Qasabgi, Riyad El-Sonbati, Mohamed Abdel- Wahab, Farid El-Atrash and Baligh Hamdi. The session was attended by members of the late artists' families, as well as hundreds of people interested in Arabic music. Our very own cultural editor, my dear friend Mursi Saad El-Din, was there to receive a certificate of merit honouring his brother, late composer Baligh Hamdi. Amongst the entertainers who put on a show for the guests was Christine Eid, the talented little girl who sings a repertoire of popular songs by Umm Kulthoum. She was accompanied by organist Samir Yehia Ali.
* Part of the Cairo Opera House's celebration of Christmas this year will be a performance of the religious Egyptian opera "From Egypt I Called My Son", set to take place at the Main Hall, on 18 and 19 December. The one-act opera -- which tells the story of Jesus Christ's birth and the Holy Family's trip to Egypt as they fled from Roman persecution -- is composed by Naguie Youssef, and written and directed by Nabila Erian. The Cairo Opera Orchestra, led by Ivan Filev, as well as the hymns choir, which includes 200 cantors from Egypt's various churches, are participating in the event.
I was thrilled, my dears, to learn from my colleague Reham El-Adawi, that international tenor Sobhi Bedeir, director of the Cairo Opera Company at the opera house, recently served as the head of the jury at the First International Singing Competition in Bevanio, Italy. The first Egyptian to occupy this prestigious postition, Bedeir has previously served as a member of the jury at the International Operatic Singing Competition in Bilbao, Spain, along with a group of the most prominent opera singers worldwide, including the international tenor Luidgi Alfa and bass Evegini Nestrenco.
