This article was published in 2015 before Mr Kamy passed away on 14 December 2018. The article was re-shared in memory of Mr Kamy. Sunlight peaked through the glass panes of a mysterious, rustic downtown Cairo bookstore, located just meters away from the heart of Egypt’s January 25 revolution. Inside, the enchanting smell of old books and paintings quickly surrounds you, reminding you of your grandparents’ home. “Every time I sell one of these precious books, I feel a bit sorry,” admits 78-year-old former Opera legend Hassan Kamy, “because books are like life companions and are very precious to me.” Mr. Kamy, best known for his 46-year-long Opera career that saw him passionately raise the Egyptian flag 1,600 times across 45 countries, bought the hidden cove in 1967. “The place used to belong to a Swiss gentleman called Mr Feldman. Because of his Jewish faith, he had to leave the country and sold it to his first assistant,” explains Mr. Kamy in perfect English as he sits surrounded by books – some dating several hundred years back – in L’Orientaliste. “For 17 years, I was a client. I would tell…
The Secret Life and Journey of Egyptian Opera Legend Hassan Kamy
August 4, 2015
