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Multiscreen cinema complexes are springing up all over the city, usually linked to major malls. Foreign films are subtitled in Arabic and usually start 30 minutes after the scheduled time (arriving 15 minutes after that time is usually fine). All theaters have reserved seating. Also note that most embassies have cultural centers that show original-language (and uncensored) movies—these are well worth looking into if you're in the mood to see a film.
Folk music and other performances that reflect Egypt’s unique artistic identity are the specialty of this intimate space. Its most famous show is a traditional women’s zar, a folkloric musical trance and healing ritual that's performed every Wednesday night. Spaces are limited, so it’s a good idea to book in advance.
Better known by its former name, Townhouse Gallery, this art space has carved its place in Downtown’s cultural landscape by hosting live performances, film screenings, and lectures, as well as contemporary art exhibitions.
This is the beating heart of Zamalek’s cultural scene, home to the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, the city’s renowned symphony orchestra, and a plethora of performing arts companies. Performances—from the classical to the contemporary, featuring local and international artists—fill the schedules at both the Main and Small halls. Pick an event from the website, book it online, and enjoy the show. You might have to don your Sunday best, though: a jacket and tie are compulsory for men in the Main Hall but not in the others; women can dress more freely, though jeans aren't allowed.
The setting for this venue, which hosts concerts by notable Egyptian artists, is incomparable: Manasterly Palace is the one remaining part of a complex built by Hassan Fouad Pasha al-Manasterly, former Governor of Cairo, in 1851, and its remarkable architecture adds to the experience of seeing performances here.
Since the early 1990s, this gallery has been a pillar of Cairo's contemporary arts scene, highlighting talented local and international artists. Every month, the gallery organizes temporary exhibitions, performances, discussions, and lectures. It also regularly collaborates with galleries in Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, and Tunisia.
Though the current building is a faithful reconstruction of the 1869 original, which burned in a 2008 fire, Cairo’s National Theater has remained a symbol of art, culture, and literature in Egypt. The exterior architectural style is Islamic; its interior blends Islamic and traditional Egyptian motifs.
Part of the Cairo Festival City shopping and entertainment complex, Egypt's second-largest arena can accommodate more than 1,600 people at its local and international concerts, dance performances, and theatrical productions.
This handsome, 16th-century building was originally an inn for traders, who stabled their horses and carts in the courtyard and retired to the upper floors. Today it's used as an arts center, and the upstairs rooms now serve as studios for artists specializing in traditional crafts such as carpet weaving, metalworking, and creating mashrabiyas (projected oriel windows made of wood). During its restoration, the building was also equipped to host cultural events, including whirling dervish and Arabic music performances. Shows are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 7:30 pm in winter and 8 pm in summer; usually, you must arrive about 30 minutes before the performance starts to guarantee yourself a seat; sometimes, though, shows are canceled due to low attendance numbers, so check ahead.
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