Fez — The Cairo Opera House confirmed that the 2025 edition will spotlight Umm Kulthum on the 50th anniversary of her passing and celebrate a slate of Arab talents, with the late Naima Samih named among this year’s honorees for her enduring imprint on Moroccan and regional song.
Organizers said the festival will convene artists and researchers from 15 countries, pairing performances with a parallel conference on Arab music in the digital era.
Running October 16–25, the festival features 41 concerts led by 83 performers and 21 ensembles, with appearances spanning Cairo, Alexandria and Damanhour—venues overseen by the Opera’s network of theaters.
The opening program centers on Umm Kulthum, while the honors roster includes figures such as Egypt’s Mohamed El-Helou and Amal Maher, Sudanese poet Al-Hadi Adam, Jordan’s Hisham Sharaf, and composer Jalal Fouda.
Morocco’s presence extends beyond the tribute: vocalist Fouad Zabadi is among the international guests, adding a performance link to the recognition of Samih’s legacy.
In recent editions the festival has combined star-studded nights with competitions for youth, children, and Arab takht ensembles. It is required for entries required to draw inspiration and base their theme on Umm Kulthum’s repertoire.
The accompanying scholarly conference will examine four tracks under the theme of Arab music amid digital transformation, including AI’s impact on composition and performance, technology’s role in music education, archival approaches since the 1932 Cairo Congress, and the challenges of producing Arab music in the streaming age.
With Samih’s homage and a multi-city bill, the 33rd Arab Music Festival positions Cairo as a fall hub for classic and contemporary Arab repertoires—bridging heritage, research, and live performance under one umbrella.
