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{{Short description|Ballet company and school in Egypt}}
{{Infobox ballet company
{{Infobox ballet company
| name = Cairo Opera Ballet Company
| name = Cairo Opera Ballet Company
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| previous_names =
| previous_names =
| predecessor =
| predecessor =
| founded = 1958
| founded = {{start date and age|1958}}
| founder =
| founder =
| founders = Tharwat Okasha, Leonid Lavrovsky
| founders = Tharwat Okasha, Leonid Lavrovsky
| founding_director =
| founding_director =
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| founding_person_type =
| founding_person_type =
| founding_person_name =
| founding_person_name =
| closed =
| closed =
| venue = Cairo Opera House
| venue = Cairo Opera House
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
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| ballet_staff_name =
| ballet_staff_name =
| artistic_director =
| artistic_director =
| associate_artistic_director =
| associate_artistic_director =
| deputy_director =
| deputy_director =
| ballet_master_in_chief =
| ballet_master_in_chief =
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}}
}}


The '''Cairo Opera Ballet Company''' is the resident ballet company of the [[Cairo Opera House]] and a ballet school affiliated to Egypt's [[Higher Institute of Ballet]]. Its foundation began in 1958 during the presidency of [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] through the efforts of Tharwat Okasha, Egypt's culture minister at the time, and [[Leonid Lavrovsky]], the former artistic director of the [[Bolshoi Ballet]] who took a group of Egyptian dancers to Russia for two years of training. At the time of its founding, it was the only Arab resident classical ballet company in the Middle East.<ref name = "Abouissa" />
The '''Cairo Opera Ballet Company''' is the resident ballet company of the [[Cairo Opera House]] and a ballet school affiliated to Egypt's [[Higher Institute of Ballet]]. Its foundation began in 1958 during the presidency of [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] through the efforts of Tharwat Okasha, Egypt's culture minister at the time, and [[Leonid Lavrovsky]], the former artistic director of the [[Bolshoi Ballet]], who took a group of Egyptian dancers to Russia for two years of training.<ref name=ewb>{{Cite book |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4422-4526-6 |last=Snodgrass |first=Mary Ellen |title=The Encyclopedia of World Ballet |date=2015-06-08}}</ref> At the time of its founding, it was the only Arab resident [[classical ballet]] company in the Middle East.<ref name = "Abouissa" /> The Company director was Enayat Azmi.<ref name=ewb />


With a ballet school established, the company staged its first ballet production, ''The Fountain of Bakhshisarai'', at the [[Khedivial Opera House]] in 1966. The destruction of the Khedivial Opera House by fire in 1971, followed by President [[Anwar Sadat]] severing Egypt's ties with Russia in 1972, led to a serious decline of the company. The company and its ballet school had a resurgence following the construction of the new Cairo Opera House in 1988.<ref name = "Abouissa">Abouissa, Mona (2 February 2013). [http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/on-stage/ballet-in-egypt-enjoying-an-unexpected-resurgence#full "Ballet in Egypt enjoying an unexpected resurgence"]. ''[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]''. Retrieved 6 May 2015.</ref>
With a ballet school established, the company staged its first ballet production, ''[[The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (ballet)|The Fountain of Bakhshisarai]]'', at the [[Khedivial Opera House]] in 1966. Nasser himself attended the ballet and awards were presented to the company's management, lead dancers Abdel Moneim Kamel and Aleya Abdel Razek. The company performed a full range of ballets from the [[classical ballet]] repertoire including ''[[Don Quixote (ballet)|Don Quixote]]'', ''[[Paquita]]'', ''[[Giselle]]'', ''[[Swan Lake]]'', ''[[Le Corsaire]]'' and ''[[Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)|Scheherazade]]''. In 1969 the Company hosted the [[Royal Ballet]] for a performance of ''Swan Lake'' at [[Giza pyramid complex|pyramids]] in [[Giza]].<ref name=ewb />


Since 2004, Erminia Gambarelli Kamel has been the company's Artistic Director. Trained at the [[La Scala Theatre Ballet School]], Kamel joined the Cairo Opera Ballet Company as a Principal Dancer in 1982.<ref>Shawkat, Nabil (10 August). [http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/on-stage/costume-gallery#full Costume gallery"]. ''[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]''. Retrieved 6 May 2015.</ref> one of the Soloist ballet dancer is [[Mahmoud Atef El Henidy]] since 2004-2013.
The destruction of the Khedivial Opera House by fire in 1971, followed by President [[Anwar Sadat]] severing Egypt's ties with Russia in 1972, led to a serious decline of the company. The company and its ballet school had a resurgence following the construction of the new Cairo Opera House in 1988.<ref name = "Abouissa">Abouissa, Mona (2 February 2013). [http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/on-stage/ballet-in-egypt-enjoying-an-unexpected-resurgence#full "Ballet in Egypt enjoying an unexpected resurgence"]. ''[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]''. Retrieved 6 May 2015.</ref>

Since 2004, Erminia Gambarelli Kamel has been the company's artistic director. Trained at the [[La Scala Theatre Ballet School]], Kamel joined the Cairo Opera Ballet Company as a [[principal dancer]] in 1982.<ref>Shawkat, Nabil (10 August). [http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/on-stage/costume-gallery#full Costume gallery"]. ''[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]''. Retrieved 6 May 2015.</ref>


==References==
==References==
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*[http://www.cairoopera.org/companies.php?lan=En Official website]
*[http://www.cairoopera.org/companies.php?lan=En Official website]
*Bar'el, Zvi (4 June 2013). [http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/.premium-1.527629 "Cairo Opera presents: The rite of the Arab Spring"]. ''[[Haaretz]]''
*Bar'el, Zvi (4 June 2013). [http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/.premium-1.527629 "Cairo Opera presents: The rite of the Arab Spring"]. ''[[Haaretz]]''
*ElDin, Dina Salah (16 June 2013). [http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/06/16/191611273/burning-down-the-house-artistic-freedom-under-fire-in-egypt "Burning Down The House: Artistic Freedom Under Fire In Egypt"]. [[NPR]]
*ElDin, Dina Salah (16 June 2013). [https://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/06/16/191611273/burning-down-the-house-artistic-freedom-under-fire-in-egypt "Burning Down The House: Artistic Freedom Under Fire In Egypt"]. [[NPR]]
*Metwaly, Ati (14 March 2013). [http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/66831.aspx "Requiem for a danseur noble: Abdel-Moneim Kamel"]. ''[[Al-Ahram]]''
*Metwaly, Ati (14 March 2013). [http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/66831.aspx "Requiem for a danseur noble: Abdel-Moneim Kamel"]. ''[[Al-Ahram]]''


{{Ballet companies}}
{{Ballet companies}}
{{Ballet schools}}
{{Ballet schools}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Ballet schools]]
[[Category:Ballet schools]]
[[Category:Ballet companies in Egypt]]
[[Category:Ballet companies in Egypt]]
[[Category:Culture of Cairo]]
[[Category:Culture in Cairo]]

Latest revision as of 16:25, 13 May 2024

Cairo Opera Ballet Company
General information
NameCairo Opera Ballet Company
Year founded1958; 67 years ago (1958)
FoundersTharwat Okasha, Leonid Lavrovsky
Principal venueCairo Opera House
Senior staff
Chief ExecutiveErminia Gambarelli Kamel

The Cairo Opera Ballet Company is the resident ballet company of the Cairo Opera House and a ballet school affiliated to Egypt's Higher Institute of Ballet. Its foundation began in 1958 during the presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser through the efforts of Tharwat Okasha, Egypt's culture minister at the time, and Leonid Lavrovsky, the former artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, who took a group of Egyptian dancers to Russia for two years of training.[1] At the time of its founding, it was the only Arab resident classical ballet company in the Middle East.[2] The Company director was Enayat Azmi.[1]

With a ballet school established, the company staged its first ballet production, The Fountain of Bakhshisarai, at the Khedivial Opera House in 1966. Nasser himself attended the ballet and awards were presented to the company's management, lead dancers Abdel Moneim Kamel and Aleya Abdel Razek. The company performed a full range of ballets from the classical ballet repertoire including Don Quixote, Paquita, Giselle, Swan Lake, Le Corsaire and Scheherazade. In 1969 the Company hosted the Royal Ballet for a performance of Swan Lake at pyramids in Giza.[1]

The destruction of the Khedivial Opera House by fire in 1971, followed by President Anwar Sadat severing Egypt's ties with Russia in 1972, led to a serious decline of the company. The company and its ballet school had a resurgence following the construction of the new Cairo Opera House in 1988.[2]

Since 2004, Erminia Gambarelli Kamel has been the company's artistic director. Trained at the La Scala Theatre Ballet School, Kamel joined the Cairo Opera Ballet Company as a principal dancer in 1982.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2015-06-08). The Encyclopedia of World Ballet. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4422-4526-6.
  2. ^ a b Abouissa, Mona (2 February 2013). "Ballet in Egypt enjoying an unexpected resurgence". The National. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  3. ^ Shawkat, Nabil (10 August). Costume gallery". The National. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
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