Today, just as in the past the Cairo Symphony Orchestra is an eminent and unique participant in broadening and enriching the musical life in Egypt.
The Orchestra was founded in 1959 under its first music director and conductor Franz Litschauer. Two Egyptian conductors Ahmed Ebeid and Youssef Elsisisucceeded Maestro Litchauer as conductors of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. Performing in the former Cairo Opera House, the orchestra gave symphonic concerts, accompanied opera and ballet performances including both local and foreign companies among which were the Bolshoi, the Kirov, and the Royal Ballet of London.
Since the beginning of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra’s residence at the New Cairo Opera House in 1990 and with Maestro Ahmed El Saedi as its music director and principal conductor, the orchestra has restricted its activities to symphonic concerts. This has enabled the orchestra to forge new horizons in both repertoire and number of concerts. Works by Bruckner, Mahler, Ravel, Debussy, Schonberg, Bartok, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich and others have become an integral part of the orchestra’s repertoire. Since the integration of the A Cappella Choir into the Cairo Symphony Orchestra both have performed together major works for chorus and orchestra such as Handel’s “Messiah, Haydn's Creation, Mozart’s ‘Requiem”, Verdi’s ‘Requiem”, Brahms’ “A German Requiem”, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and “Missa Solemnis”, Mahler’s Second Symphony "Resurrection" and Dvořák's “Stabat Mater”.
The Cairo Symphony Orchestra has played a crucial role in the development of Egyptian contemporary music and in the inspiration of Egyptian musicians-soloists and conductors alike, Among the successful highlights organized and performed during the past seasons was the “Beethoven Festival’ celebrating the 175th anniversary of his death, the “Twentieth Century Music Festival.” and “Arab Perspectives Music Festival.”
Many international guest conductors such as Charles Munch, Carlo Zecchi, Ottokar Truhlik, Ole Schmidt, Yehudi Menuhin, Gennady Rozhdesivensky, Janos Kukla, Patrick Fournillier, Daniel Barenboim and others have led the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. Among the soloists who have performed with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra are Rudolf Buchbinder, Abdel Rahman El-Basha. Joerg Demus, Ramzy Yassa, André Navarra, Mistislav Rostropovitch, Viktoria Posinikova, Stefan Vladar and Christian Alienburger. During the past several years the Cairo Symphony Orchestra has regularly toured many European countries and its two artistic tours to China (2004 and 2006) both were great successes. In July 2008, the Cairo Symphony Orchestra participated in the Jerash Festival - Jordan, accompanying the great Tenor Placido Domingo.
For the 2003 - 2004 Season, the Mexican Maestro Sergio Càrdenas was the Principal Conductor and Music Director of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra.
For the 2004 - 2005 Season, the Swiss Conductor Christoph Mueller was the Principal Conductor and Music Director of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra.
For the 2005 - 2006/ 2006-2007 Seasons, the British Conductor Steven Lloyd was the Principal conductor and Music Director of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra.
For the 2007 - 2008 Season, the Swiss Conductor Andreas Spörri was the Chief Conductor of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra.
For the 2008 - 2009/ 2009-2010/ 2010-2011 Seasons, the Italian Conductor Marcello Mottadelli was the Principal Conductor of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra.
