Cairo Opera House Opens Submissions for Arab Music Festival Contests

The Cairo Opera House has opened applications for three competitions accompanying the 33rd Arab Music Festival and Conference, taking place this October. The contests include two Ratiba El-Hefny singing categories - one for ages 17 to 45 and one for children aged six to 16 - as well as a Takht ensemble competition for groups of five to seven musicians.

Applicants are required to submit a video no longer than three minutes and pay a modest registration fee. The youth singing contest offers first, second, and third-place prizes of EGP 50,000, EGP 40,000, and EGP 30,000 respectively. In the children’s category, awards are set at EGP 35,000, EGP 30,000, and EGP 25,000. Ensembles in the Takht competition compete for a single prize of EGP 70,000.

Entries must be submitted by September 30th. Selected applicants travelling from abroad will receive accommodation and local transportation, though international travel costs must be covered independently. The competitions honour the legacy of Ratiba El-Hefny, a pivotal figure in shaping Egypt’s opera scene and Arab music platforms.