A new Egyptian-French musical play commemorating the 40th anniversary of the legendary singer Dalida’s passing, was officially announced during a press conference at the residence of the French Ambassador in Cairo. The launch featured French Ambassador Éric Chevallier, Egyptian mezzo-soprano Farrah El Dibany, film director Khairy Beshara, and writer Waleed Khairy.
The project is an Egyptian-French collaboration staged as part of the “Mediterranean Season 2026,” an initiative aimed at fostering cultural and artistic exchange among regional nations while highlighting the shared creativity and cultural diversity of Mediterranean peoples.
Scheduled to serve as the grand finale of the season, the production will premiere at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on October 31, followed by performances in Cairo in November.
During the press conference, French Ambassador Éric Chevallier underscored the vital significance of Egyptian-French cultural cooperation, noting that the production represents a major step in reviving Dalida’s legacy through a joint musical theater venture.
For her part, Farrah El Dibany shared that portraying Dalida had been a childhood dream. She explained that she pitched the concept to director Khairy Beshara, who collaborated with writer Waleed Khairy to develop the idea into a full-fledged theatrical project.
Beshara stated that the work aims to present different facets of Dalida’s personality beyond her familiar stage persona, while writer Waleed Khairy explained that his script focuses on humanizing the artist by highlighting lesser-known aspects of her life. The production is produced by Ahmed Fawzi.
The play chronicles Dalida’s artistic and personal journey, emphasizing her deep connection to Egypt and the profound impact of her Egyptian upbringing on her artistic identity. It also features a fresh musical vision arranged by French-Armenian composer André Manoukian.
The show falls under the umbrella of the “Mediterranean Season 2026,” an initiative launched in 2023 by French President Emmanuel Macron and organized with the support of the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture.
Running from May 15 to October 31, 2026, across France and several Mediterranean nations—including Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco—the initiative seeks to strengthen cultural ties and support creative endeavors throughout the region.
