Egyptian Opera House commemorates late Abnudi, Shere'i

CAIRO - 11 April 2019: As part of its plan to honor symbols the Egyptian art, Cairo Opera House will commemorate poet Abdul Rahman el-Abnudi and musician Ammar al-Share'iin a concert performed by Abdel HalimNewera’s band led by Maestro Ahmed Amer.

The concert will be held in the Grand Theater on April 12 at 8 p.m.

Abdel Rahman el-Abnudi (April 11, 1938 –April 21, 2015) was a popular Egyptianpoet, and later a children's books writer. He was one of a generation of poets who favored to write in the Egyptian dialect (in Abnudi's case, Upper Egyptian dialect) rather than standard Arabic, the formal language of the country.

This literary stance was associated with a militant political engagement.Abnudi and other Egyptian writers of this school sought to make their literary production part of the process of political development and movement towards popular democracy in Egypt.

The late poet married former President of the Egyptian Television Network and television presenter Nehal Kamal, and they had two children: Aya and Nour.

Ammar Ali Mohamed Ibrahim Ali al-Shere'ior more commonly known as Ammar el- Shere'i (April 16, 1948 – December 7, 2012) was an Egyptian music icon, performer and composer.

Shere'i was born blind in the village of Samalot, 25 km from Minya in Upper Egypt to a large family of Al Shere'is. His father was the mayor of the village. His family moved to Cairo when he was five years-old. There, he attended the Demonstration Centre for the Rehabilitation and Training of the Blind (DCRTB).

He studied at the English department of Ain Shams University and graduated in 1970.He continued his studies in the US and Britain. He attended the Royal Academy of Music in London. He also received three PhDs, including one from the Sorbonne in France.