5th International Alexandria Music Festival Begins

Lebanese and Moroccan singers Ramy A’yash and Jannat will host the opening of the International Alexandria Music Festival at Syed Derwish theater in Alexandria. Departed music legend Farid Al Atrash will be honored at the festival in addition to several other Egyptian and Arab musicians that have left an impression over the years on Arab music. Hamam has also indicated that a press conference will be held on Wednesday to outline the schedule of the festival and the order of the activities that will be conducted. Those activities will include a series of seminars and forums that will be attended by major Arab and Egyptian artists. Hamam has also added that this year’s festival is of a special nature due to the fact that Alexandria is celebrating its selection as Arab tourism capital for the year 2010. Furthermore, Hamam has said that the opening ceremony will include performances by Ramy A’yash and Jannat while the closing will include performances by Syrian musician Wa’d Al Beheiry and Wael Jassar.The festival is being held under the auspices of artist Farouq Hosny, Minister of Culture and the Arts, and will be opened by Alexandria’s mayor, brigadier general A’del Labib. A host of artists and performers are expected to be in attendance. President of the festival, Eng. A’ouf Hamam has mentioned that the opening of the festival represents a meeting for Arab musicians as the opening will be hosted by artists from Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco, moreover, the festival itself will be held in Alexandria, “the capital of arts and culture.”