Three Special Evenings Until the New Year: Channel One Celebrates Umm Kulthum
Channel One presents three special cultural and musical evenings celebrating the legacy of Umm Kulthum, coinciding with her birthday and the New Year festivities.
Channel One has announced a special celebration spanning three consecutive evenings until the beginning of the New Year, honoring the birthday of the legendary singer Umm Kulthum, which falls on December 31, as part of a tribute to one of Egypt’s most iconic artistic figures.
The celebrations begin on the evening of December 30 with a special episode hosted by Iman Mansour, featuring stories and personal anecdotes about Umm Kulthum, highlighting her generosity, loyalty, national stances, and significant financial contributions in support of Egypt. The episode also explores how Umm Kulthum reshaped the traditional image of Arab women, with participation from journalist Khairy Hassan.
In a special segment of Good Morning Egypt, rare concerts, archival footage, exclusive interviews, and audio recordings are presented, alongside discussions addressing a key question: Why has the Arab world failed to create an artistic figure to rival Umm Kulthum despite technological advancement and substantial funding? The segment features writer and researcher Mahmoud Al-Tamimi.
On New Year’s Eve, Channel One airs a musical concert performed by singer Marwa Nagy, who presents a selection of Umm Kulthum’s most beloved songs, hosted by Jomana Maher.
The celebrations continue on the first evening of 2026 with a special show hosted by Fatima Khalil and Walaa Ghanem, featuring the cast of the musical theatre production “Daybeen Fi Sout El Set”. The episode hosts renowned poet and writer Dr. Medhat El-Adl, author and lyricist of the production, director Ahmed Fouad, and the show’s leading actresses Asmaa El-Gamal, portraying Umm Kulthum in her later years, and Malak Ahmed, portraying her childhood.
The discussion highlights Dr. Medhat El-Adl’s major project to revive musical theatre, a genre that flourished in the 1920s under composer Sayed Darwish, emphasizing its role in discovering talents in singing and acting. The evening also features live performances by Asmaa El-Gamal and Malak Ahmed, singing some of Umm Kulthum’s most iconic songs to enthusiastic audience response.
This celebration reflects Channel One’s commitment to preserving Egypt’s artistic heritage while presenting it in a contemporary format that bridges generations.
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