Marking the 59th year of revolution in Egypt (July 23, 1952), the embassy of Egypt on Sunday night kept its tradition alive by celebrating ‘The Egyptian Musical Night’ as part of its National Day function at the luxurious Pakistan National Council of the Arts auditorium in Islamabad. The music night featured live performance by renowned Egyptian opera singer Abdul Halim Nouira with his four- member troupe from the ‘Cairo Opera House’. The night event was attended by a large number of guests including a number of diplomats, political figures, art lovers, students and ambassadors of various countries. The most popular troupes of ‘Cairo Opera House,’ currently visiting Pakistan, enthralled the audience with traditional Arab music shortly after presentation of national anthems of the two countries. The band, a sextet belonging to Abdul Halim Nouira Ensemble, serenaded the audience with Arabic music and songs. The programme began with Egyptian music: first instrumental and then vocal. The vocalists sang popular national and romantic songs, much to the delight of the audience. The audience sang along; clapped to the beat and enjoyed the tunes. It was a nostalgic moment for the Egyptians to have musicians from their country performing live here in Pakistan. Addressing the gathering after the performance, the outgoing Egyptian Ambassador Magdy thanked the PNCA administration and guests for gracing the occasion and hoped they had enjoyed the performance of the troupe. Magdy said the embassy of Egypt will continue to invite cultural troupes to enhance bilateral relations between Cairo and Islamabad using the tool of culture.
