El Gouna hosts a legendary, grand night in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the world premiere of Opera Aida.
El Gouna, one of the fully integrated sustainable towns by Orascom Development in the Red Sea, brought us the international exquisite “Opera Aida” show, celebrating the 150th anniversary since its first premiere. The show was held in a grand festive night at El Gouna Conference and Culture Center, under the sponsorship and organization of the Red Sea Governorate, and in partnership with IEvents and RMC.
The international operatic performance prepared a contemporary adaptation, giving a legendary feel to the epical, dramatic tale that was performed on the largest and most prominent theaters in the world. The show was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E Sameh Shoukry, the Governor of the Red Sea, Major General Amr Hanafi, in addition to Mr. Samih Sawiris, Founder of El Gouna, and a glamorous crowd.
Mr. Mohamed Amer, CEO of El Gouna, expressed his delight that El Gouna hosted this international theatrical performance, stating: “We were keen to host this important celebratory performance of Opera Aida in Egypt, from which it was originally premiered 150 years ago. Emphasizing that Egypt is the origin of civilization and one of the most important sources of culture and arts in the world. We were keen to provide all the necessary support for the success of this night, especially that we are strong believers in diversifying events to promote tourism and attract different segments of visitors, in-line with Orascom Development’s aim to make El Gouna the beacon of arts, culture and sports in the region.”
He added: “Thanks to the variety of facilities and strong infrastructure, El Gouna is one of the most suitable and fully equipped places to host this international event. With its unique architectural design and spaciousness, El Gouna Conference and Culture Center, is an ideal venue in El Gouna for hosting the largest international events complemented by the supporting amenities in the town such as a wide array of hotels, international Marinas, a hospital and a variety of leisure activities.”
Commenting on this magnificent night Amr Mansi, CEO of I- Events, said: “This cooperation is not the first for us with Orascom Development, as this fruitful partnership stems from the mutual trust between the two companies. During the last period, we have indeed succeeded in organizing a number of impressive arts and sports events. The unique opportunities we find in El Gouna helps us in achieving impressive outcomes, qualifying it to compete with international cities.”
Meanwhile, Ahmed Ebeid, Founder and MD of RMC, stated that holding Aida Opera in El Gouna for the first time confirms Egypt’s ability to host international events at the highest level of organization. Ebeid also praised the successful partnership with the Red Sea Governorate, Orascom Development and Events, which contributed to the success of the show.
It is worth noting that the Opera Aida was premiered for the first time in 1871 on the stage of the old Khedieval Opera House, and it was performed in Europe for the first time at the Teatro alla Scala in Italy in February 1872. It was written by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette, in which he narrates a fictional historical story about two star-crossed lovers, an Egyptian army commander Radames and the captive Abyssinian Princess Aida, mastered by international sopranos and performed to the audience in a legendary, captivating atmosphere in El Gouna.
