Alexandria Opera House Commemorates 115th Anniversary of Riad Al Sunbati

Two live concerts in commemoration of the 115th anniversary of the late notable musician Riad Al Sunbati will be held on Thursday and Friday night at the Opera House, under the patronage of Egypt’s Culture Ministry.

Under the direction of Maestro Abdel Hamid Ghafar, the Alexandria Opera House band will perform a selection of Sunbati’s remarkable songs and iconic pieces, reminding people of the legacy and spirit of the late singer.

The concerts include pieces like "Shoft Habibi," "Wahashni," and "Raht Laiali," which will be played by outstanding singers like Ayman Mostafa, Marwa Hamdi, Metwali, and Shrouk Sherif, and Karim Zidan.

Also in this regard, Cairo Opera’s soloists will pay tribute to the legendary singer and icon of national folk musical art by performing works from Mahmud’s extensive repertoire.

The late singer made a great contribution to the development and popularization of Arab folk music and the great work of Egypt's composers.

All Egyptians know about his talent as a musician. At all times, he was highly appreciated by the people. He received numerous awards for his artistic achievements.

His lyrical repertoire features 539 works including Egyptian Opera, operetta, cinematic and religious song, poem, Taqtouqa and Mawalia.

Throughout his long-standing career, he composed for many famous Arab singers including Umm Kulthum, Fairouz (yet to be released), Asmahan, Warda Al-Jazairia, Najat Al Saghira, Mounira El Mahdeya, Fayza Ahmed, Saleh Abdel Hai, and Aziza Galal (who was the last singer to sing one of his melodies).