Al-Laila Al-Kabira

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On the occasion of the Eid, the Opera House presented Abdel-Moneim Kamel's ballet version of the classic puppet theatre musical Al-Laila Al-Kabira (The night of the saint's anniversary), written by the late vernacular poet Salah Jahine and composed by Sayed Mekkawi. Magdi Saber assisted Kamel in this large-scale production -- the perfect marriage of grassroots art with the Western classical tradition -- providing the choreography. True to the spirit of the show -- and the Eid -- the first part of the show featured a folk-inspired miscellany. Prima ballerina Sahar Helal gave an impressive performance.

(photo: Sherif Sonbol)