Arab Music Festival returns to Cairo Opera's main hall from 20 to 30 October

The 34th Arab Music Festival and Conference opens at the Cairo Opera House on 20 October and runs to 30 October. Concerts move back to the Grand Theatre this year after earlier editions on the open-air Fountain Stage, with more nights at the Small Theatre, the Institute of Arab Music and the Sayed Darwish Theatre in Alexandria.

The programme has 22 concerts, two a day, with about 70 Egyptian and Arab artists. Names announced include Omar Khairat, Medhat Saleh, Nadia Mostafa, Khaled Selim, Ghada Ragab and Mohamed El Helw. Amal Maher is due to sing on 29 October.

This edition is dedicated to Hany Shaker, with a night given to his songs and a documentary about his career on opening night. Other nights carry the names of composers and singers such as Baligh Hamdi, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Sayed Darwish and Farid El Atrash.

Opera House chairman Dr Reda El Wakil has said the festival will go ahead on schedule. Ticket prices were not in the reports we read. The Opera sells tickets through its box office and website.