Yanni performs ‘dream concert’ at the foot of the Pyramids
BY ENGY ALY and AMINA ZAINELDIN
@ENGYALY7 and @A_ZAINELDIN
![Yanni performed at the Pyramids of Giza on October 30 to rave reviews [Mohammed Sanad]](http://www.auccaravan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/yanni-e1446885090279.jpg)
[Mohammed Sanad]
Spectators leapt to their feet and swayed to the mellow music of Yanni’s song The Sphynx under the shadow of the Giza Pyramids during his long-awaited concert on October 30.
He graced the Egyptian stage for the first time in a performance that left his audience in awe.
“All I can tell you is that [I have] goose bumps and I cannot believe that this dream came true.
The very first song on my very first album 30 years ago, is called The Sphynx, it’s as if I knew that some day the little young Yanni was going to make it all the way to the Great Pyramids of Egypt,” the iconic composer said in a promotional video posted on Facebook.
The critically acclaimed Greek-American composer, Yiannis Chryssomallis, popularly known as Yanni, is one of the most renowned figures in world and new- age music.
His work gained popularity through constant play on alternative radio shows and appearances on US TV.
Even though the event was a seated concert, it didn’t stop the spectators from dancing cheerfully as he played a two- and-a-half hour set, equipped with bedazzling lighting reflected on the Pyramids to create an ethereal atmosphere.
“Yanni’s engagement with the audience made me feel like I didn’t want the concert to end, I felt like he was having as much fun as we were,” said Omar Saeed, a concert-goer.
However, Yanni’s affinity with Egyptians was not limited to his performance. He was very active in promoting tourism in Egypt on social media. According to Egyptian publication Al Bawaba, Yanni will be working with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism to film a short promotional movie of his tour around Cairo.
He participated in a campaign called “#ThisIsEgypt”.
Yanni visited Cairo landmarks Al-Mo’ez Street, Khan El-Khalili, and the Cairo Citadel.
The hashtag was kicked off in 2012 by creative leader at The Brand Bees branding agency, Taimour Othman, who told The Caravan that his purpose was to show the world what Egypt was really like.
“A hype grew around it, and someone from the Ministry of Tourism noticed and adopted the hashtag as Egypt’s national hashtag,” he explained.
Othman, who also encourages travel within Egypt, was inspired to create this hashtag to show that Egypt was not to be defined by its political instability.
“We need to show people what this country’s really about,” Othman added.
Hadia Ghaleb, founder of Ghaleb Production House (GPH) collaborated with J. Walter Thompson (JWT), the agency handling the ministry of tourism’s marketing on #ThisIsEgypt.
Ghaleb told The Caravan that GPH’s role was to promote Yanni’s visit to Egypt on social media.
“My team and I visited Egyptian touristic sites with Yanni to deliver his excitement to social media in order to boost tourism in Egypt,” Ghaleb said.
Ghaleb added that the press was everywhere while they were visiting Egyptian touristic sites, and that they could not stay long because the press wouldn’t leave them alone.
“Yanni kept a smile on his face the whole time, despite the chaos,” said Ghaleb.
Despite paparazzi hangups, the tour was a success.
“This was one of the most organized concerts I’ve ever been to in Egypt,” said Dina Ghamrawy, another spectator.
On his way to Egypt, Yanni posted a picture of a gift offered by Egypt Air.
The caption read: “Amazing what you find on an EgyptAir. Homemade Yanni chocolates.”
Earlier this month, Yanni recorded a video message to his fans in Egypt on his official YouTube channel. He appeared excited when he told the audience that they make him feel so welcome to the country and that he cannot wait to perform in front of “the magnificent Pyramids.”
This is not the first time Yanni has performed in the shadows of historical monuments.
His breakthrough concert in 1993 took place in the Herodes Atticus Theatre at the Acropolis in Athens. He has since performed at the Taj Mahal in India, the Forbidden City in China, the Russian Kremlin, Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, and many other historic sites.
In a press conference held on October 27 with Tourism Minister Hesham Zaazou and head of Promoters International Ashraf Haridy, Yanni expressed that it had long since been his dream to perform in Egypt.
“I want to send a message to the rest of the world about this country and its people,” he said.
