About this concert
In the early twentieth century Cairo and Alexandria were home to a large Italian community, and Egyptian and Italian songs shared the same stages. At the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo the choir performed famous songs from both traditions, arranged and conducted by Nayer Nagui, with the soprano Dina Iskander and the singer Rehab Metawi.
Programme
- Work
- Famous Egyptian and Italian songs of the early 20th century
About the music
Sayed Darwish (1892–1923)
- Born in Alexandria in 1892, he died there in 1923, aged 31, and is called the father of Egyptian popular music.
- In barely a decade he wrote some 260 songs and 26 operettas.
- He set “Biladi, Biladi, Biladi”, now Egypt’s national anthem; his songs include “Salma Ya Salama”, “Ahu Da Illi Sar” and “El Helwa Di”.
Source (opens in a new tab) Photographs
Photos: the choir's Facebook page
