Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has confirmed the line-up of performances set to take place into the new year as part of its popular annual Abu Dhabi Classics music programme.
In addition to events ranging from symphony concerts and ballet to a multicultural piano recital, on offer will be a complementary programme of workshops and lectures by renowned contemporary musicians to encourage creativity and cross-cultural exchange.
HE Saood Al Hosani, Undersecretary at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “In line with Abu Dhabi’s status as a UNESCO-designated ‘City of Music’, our ever-popular Abu Dhabi Classics programme invites the emirate’s residents and visitors to enjoy some of the most talented and innovative artists from the world of international classical and contemporary music and dance. We are creating a thriving music and arts scene in our emirate, inspiring all those in the Abu Dhabi community to discover new forms of creative expression.”
The line-up of upcoming Abu Dhabi Classics events includes:
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with Daniel Harding
Date: 9 November
Time: 8pm
Venue: Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi
For decades, Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has been ranked among the best orchestras in the world. Some of the greatest ever conductors – from Willem Mengelberg to Bernard Haitink and Riccardo Chailly – have worked with the orchestra and written new chapters of music history. For the first time in 10 years, the prestigious Concertgebouw Orchestra is returning to the Gulf region to offer music-lovers some of the world's most beautiful classical music. For its first night in Abu Dhabi, the orchestra will perform music from Gustav Mahler, the composer it is probably most closely linked with.
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with Daniel Harding and Leonidas Kavakos
Date: 10 November
Time: 6pm
Venue: Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi
For its second concert in Abu Dhabi, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be playing an early performance designed as both an experience for classical music lovers and an introduction for those less familiar with the genre. The programme features Beethoven's popular 6th Symphony, the Pastorale, which reflects the feelings that nature's beauty can arouse in the observer. The programme will offer music at its highest level while giving a beautiful overview of what classical music is all about. For the Brahms violin concerto, the orchestra will be joined by one of today's best violinists -Greek star Leonidas Kavakos, who will be playing in Abu Dhabi for the first time.
National Ballet of Cuba: Carmen
Date: 25 November
Time: 8pm
Venue: Cultural Foundation Auditorium, Abu Dhabi
The Ballet Nacional de Cuba is one of the world's most prestigious international dance companies. The artistry and technical excellence of its dancers and the inventiveness and variety of its choreographers' aesthetic vision have placed the company as one of the top performers on the international scene. Based on Bizet's celebrated opera, Carmen tells a tale of an enchanting seductress who radiates defiance and freedom, a tale with an ending far more complex than a doomed love affair. The staging by Ballet Nacional de Cuba focusses on revealing the essential contradictions between Carmen's rebellious personality and the forces of her time.
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: Gala Concert (sponsored by G42)
Date: 20 December
Time: 8pm
Venue: Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1936 by Bronislaw Huberman. Huberman assembled a professional symphony orchestra of high calibre, consisting of Europe's most talented Jewish symphonic players. Today, the orchestra has become one of the leading classical music ensembles worldwide, has toured the globe and played with some of the world’s greatest performers. Since 2020 the orchestra has been playing under the artistic direction of star conductor Lahav Shani, who rose to fame as Chief Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Rebeca Omordia: 'African Pianism' Piano Recital
Date: 20 January 2023
Time: 8pm
Venue: Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi
The 'African Pianism' piano recital consists of works by classical composers from West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana), South Africa and North Africa (Morocco), as well as other works using African percussion. Celebrated Nigerian-Romanian pianist Rebeca Omordia will use local percussionists to play a Moroccan piece, ‘En attente du printemps’ for piano and darbuka.
For more information about Abu Dhabi Classics events, and to purchase tickets, please visit https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/cultural-calendar/music-and-concerts/abu-dhabi-classics-2022.
