CAIRO — Fear has plagued the world during the holiday season amid the ever-escalating coronavirus pandemic and the rise in the number of deaths all over the world.

But for the first time in 20 years, the Cairo Opera House, a major cultural institution in Egypt, organized a series of Christmas events, with the participation of over 150 artists from numerous musical groups including the Cairo Opera Company, the Cairo Celebration Choir and the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. The events started in mid-December and are expected to continue until early January. 

The Cairo Opera Company was officially formed in 1964 and opened for many of the most famous international opera groups, and its repertoire includes over 32 famous operas based on novels.

Magdy Saber, head of the Cairo Opera House, told Al-Monitor over the phone that the Egyptian Opera House is an essential partner in all artistic and cultural events, stressing that many major events take place at the venue, most recently the Music Festival in November and the 42nd Cairo International Film Festival in December, all of which were held in an open-air theater, with full commitment to all COVID-19 precautionary measures.