Egypt

The Khedivial Opera House in Cairo opened in 1869 with Verdi's Rigoletto; Aida received its premiere there in 1871. The building was destroyed by fire on 28 October 1971. The present Cairo Opera House on Gezira Island opened on 10 October 1988, following cooperation between Egypt and Japan.

The Cairo Opera Company's official performance history began in 1964 with an Arabic-language production of La traviata. After the 1971 fire, it continued performing at other venues until the new opera house opened. The Cairo Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1959 by Franz Litschauer and has combined international symphonic repertoire with opportunities for Egyptian performers and composers.