Egypt reveals to the world the new Pharaonic Suez Canal – ANSA.it

(EGYPT) (Giuseppe Maria Laudani) (ANSA) – ISMAILIA (Egypt), August 6 – Two ships that cross for the first time, one from the north and the other from the south. Then the sound of the sirens and the applause. And ‘the party that opens the new Pharaonic Egypt Suez Canal. A doubling signed by President Abdel Fattah Sisi to, who wanted to show the world to be accomplished in record time a real miracle. Flags, soldiers, military, special forces, the anthem, and then the bands. All national pride has given off today at the ceremony in Ismailia. Present dozens of heads of state and government, including French President Francois Hollande and Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas, the Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev and the greek Alexis Tsipras. Representing Italy’s defense minister, Roberta Pinotti, who congratulated the authorities. “The terrorists tried to harm Egypt and to stop our journey,” he said Sisi presenting the “gift of Egypt to the world.” “We built the new Suez Canal with great difficulty but we succeeded,” he added, thanking the Egyptians for the enormous efforts and sacrifices. Arriving in the late morning by helicopter, the head of state, in military uniform, it came on board of the historic yacht to Mahrousa, where he carried out an inspection, while from helicopters, and fighter aircraft flew over the area. Then he wore street clothes and has put his signature on documents recording the full operation of the new channel. Immediately after the aerobatic planes are sfrecciati in performance and the sky is colored by fireworks. A pounding beat the Egyptian state television has highlighted the “historic moment” and a “great challenge” of a country, Egypt, “capable of performing miracles.” The Canal stretches for 72 km: a new stretch of 35 km parallel to the existing one, in addition to extending and deepening the current 37km. The cost of the project was $ 8.2 billion. But beyond the ceremony, grand, what has impressed you most on this day, marked by a heat wave, were the tight security measures. Exhausting controls, numerous checkpoints on the road from Cairo to Ismailia. The epic lines at the doors of the compound set up for guests and media representatives. Then in the evening to close the day the notes of Giuseppe Verdi. It took 146 years for the work could finally be carried out in the Channel. Indeed, it was the viceroy of Egypt, Ismail Pasha, who in the late nineteenth century commissioned Verdi an anthem to celebrate the opening of the stretch. But he refused, saying he did not write music occasion. Slowly, however, the composer began to affascinarsi the idea of ​​a work that had as background Egypt and began to work there. Unfortunately, the Franco-Prussian War did not allow the work was represented at the opening of the Channel, 17 November 1869. Two years later, on Dec. 24, 1871, Aida finally was presented for the first time ever, the Theatre Cairo Opera. And today in Ismailia, nearly a century and a half after the world premiere, the opera ‘Egyptian’ by Verdi has finally taken its revenge. (ANSA). LDN /