Shahd Hesham, an oud player and teacher, plays the oud at Arabic Oud House in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) A young Egyptian lady was playing a piece of music on the oud ...

He had brooding bewildered music for Menelaus, who was Tenor Rudolph Laubenthal, strutting heroically in a gilded tunic. He had swift, laughing music for Aithra, who was Soprano Editha Fleischer.

Egyptian weddings have previously relied on traditional shaabi music and belly dancers for entertainment, but these days, mahraganat's newcomers are swiftly replacing yesterday's stars.