Bibliotheca Alexandrina braces for its 2015 Summer Festival

This year's annual Bibliotheca Alexandrina Summer Festival opens on 30 July with a concert by Egyptian singer Angham to be held in the open-air theatre .

The largest of its kind in the Mediterranean city, the festival was inaugurated in 2002.

Its 12th edition in 2014 revived the event after a three-year hiatus.

Following the 2011 revolution, the Bibliotheca's Summer Festival disappeared from the radar due to political and security instability, which resulted in many cancellations.

The 12th edition, which featured a large line-up of events, ran between 7 August and 2 September 2014, attracting over 20 thousand visitors.

This year the festival has expanded to run for five weeks starting on 30 July until 4 September. A big line-up of 38 events will include local and international music, films and performances of dance, theatre and folklore.

The music programme will see a variety of concerts, from Egyptian independent musicians -- Massar Egbari, Cairokee, Egyptian Project, as well as others-- to folkloric performances and classical music.

The festival will also welcome musicians from the Arab region, such as Ghalia Benali of Tunisian origin and Palestinian Kamilya Jubrann, among others.

Lebanese singer Ghada Shbeir will perform at the closing ceremony on 4 September.

More events will include two big concerts by Omar Khairat with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Orchestra; a concert by renowned jazz musician Yehia Khalil; another concert by Khaled Shoueikh leading the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Orchestra; and a performance by celebrated musician Fathy Salama alongside Italian singer Elenora.
Source: Ahram Online