Manama: Egypt’s National Arab Music Ensemble (AME) of the Egyptian Opera House has become the first ensemble to perform in Saudi Arabia.
The event on Wednesday evening in the capital Riyadh was inaugurated by Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Awwad Al Awwad and Egyptian Minister of Culture Ines Abdul Dayem.
Organised by the Saudi General Culture Authority, the concert at King Fahad Cultural Centre, was led by famous conductor Mustafa Helmy in conjunction with 45 musicians and singers including Ahmad Effat and Mai Farouq.
The performance played scores by well-known composers and songs by famous Arab artists to a packed house of men and women. Another performance by the ensemble is scheduled for Thursday evening.
“The relationship between Saudi Arabia and Egypt is instrumental to both nations and we are all thrilled to welcome so many of Egypt’s finest performers to our country,” Al Awwad said in a statement after attending the performance.
“Egypt’s rich and historic culture has a special resonance in Saudi Arabia, and the thousands of Saudis in attendance during these performances proves this. This is a transformative moment in the evolution of Saudi Arabia into a more vibrant economy and society,” he said in the statement carried by the Centre for International Communication.
Saudi Arabia has been pushing for creating more cultural openness across the kingdom as part of the vast array of reforms under Vision 2030, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.
The multipronged plan aims to reduce Saudi’s economic dependence on oil through diversification and increased investment in other sectors, including entertainment.
