The Egyptian Opera House revealed today, Sunday, the details of the thirty-third edition of the Arab Music Festival and Conference, scheduled to take place from October 16 to 25, featuring artists and researchers from 15 Arab and foreign countries.
During a press conference held in Cairo, officials announced that the late Moroccan artist Naima Samih will be honored, alongside ten other notable figures who have enriched the Arab music scene. This recognition pays tribute to her illustrious artistic career, which has left an indelible mark on the Arab musical memory.
Organizers described Naima Samih as one of the most significant voices in Moroccan music in the second half of the twentieth century, noting the widespread popularity of her songs in Morocco and the Arab world.
They highlighted that the “Lady of Tarab,” Naima Samih, was distinguished by her sweet, powerful voice and genuine emotion that resonates directly with listeners. Her performances combined emotional depth and high musical techniques, and she excelled at seamlessly transitioning between vocal tones, giving her songs a distinctive quality that blends melancholy and strength.
The list of artistic personalities to be honored at the opening ceremony of the thirty-third Arab Music Festival also includes Sudanese poet Al-Hadi Adam, Jordanian Hisham Sharaf, composer Jalal Fouda, and Egyptian artists Mohamed Helou and Amal Maher.
This year’s festival, which celebrates the legacy of Umm Kulthum on the fiftieth anniversary of her passing, features a rich artistic program with 41 musical and singing concerts performed by 83 artists from Egypt and other Arab nations, including Moroccan artist Fouad El-Zabidi, alongside 21 musical groups across six venues in Cairo, Alexandria, and Damanhour.
The accompanying scientific conference will see the participation of 41 researchers from 15 Arab and foreign countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Tunisia, Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Bahrain, Sudan, Iraq, Oman, and Yemen.
The conference will discuss the topic of Arab music in the digital transformation era, focusing on four main axes, including “The Future of Arab Music in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” “Prospects for Music Education with Technological Development,” “Documentary Insights since the 1932 Cairo Conference and Their Evolution Amidst the Digital Revolution,” and “Challenges of Producing Arab Music in Composition, Arrangement, and Performance in the Context of Digital Transformation.”
The festival will also feature three music competitions aimed at youth, children, and Arab orchestras, with a requirement to perform works from the repertoire of Umm Kulthum.
