The Cairo Opera House, piece of Cairo's National Cultural heritage, it's the main performing arts venue in the Egyptian capital. Home to most of Egypt's finest musical groups, it is located on the southern portion of Gezira Island on the Nile River, in the Zamalek district near downtown Cairo.

In1869 Khedive Ismail gave instructions to build an Opera House on the occasion of the inauguration of the Suez Canal. It was called Khedivial (Royal) Opera House.

The Khedive used this occasion to lay the foundation of an eloquent and durable symbol of the art of acting. This was the Khedive Opera House, which was constructed in only six months to the design of two Italian architects, Avoscani and Rossi.

Outstanding specialists with wide experience in theater construction were brought to Egypt to carry out the work.

 

Before the building was complete, the Khedive started to prepare a great performance for his project that should reflect glimpses of Ancient Egyptian history.

He selected Mariette Pasha to prepare a story about the Egyptian history that could form the nucleus of the poem play.

Mariette Pasha commissioned the Italian poem Gialanzoni to write the libretto, and the musician Verdi was commissioned by the Khedive to compose the music.

The result was the famous opera, Aida, with its patriotic subject and passionate song and superb music, a masterpiece from the hands of these three geniuses.

However,Aida had not been ready by the inauguration of the Opera House.

Therefore, another masterpiece by Verdi; Rigoletto was performed on the occasion.

Opera Aida itself was performed two years later.

The Opera House was the first in Africa, where famous world Opera and symphonic masterpieces were performed.