Bibliotheca Alexandrina on Thursday evening opened the 23rd edition of its International Summer Festival with a concert by Egyptian band Massar Egbari, drawing a large crowd to the library’s open-air theatre. Massar Egbari performed a selection of its best-known songs, including “Nos El Hagat,” “Hawi,” “Sayad,” “Mersal,” “Zayak Ana,” “El Wadaa,” “Raghm El Masafa,” “Sabahak” and “Sherophobia,” which closed the concert to sustained applause. Lead singer Hany El-Dakkak said taking part in the festival’s opening was a source of pride for the band, noting that Massar Egbari had been among the early participants in the event’s first editions. El-Dakkak also welcomed the band’s return to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina open-air theatre, describing it as one of the city’s most important artistic venues. The festival will bring together Egyptian, Arab and international artists as part of the library’s efforts to support cultural and artistic activity and make the arts accessible to a broad audience.