Abu Dhabi Festival reveals a line-up of major performances for 2018
Bumper crop of live events range from experimental music to ballet and orchestral performances, as well as a Bollywood dance. Chris Newbould and Saeed Saeed report
The Abu Dhabi Festival revealed its line-up of major performances to run from March 8 to March 30.
The arts and culture event, which is celebrating its 15th edition, will include a sprawling programme of performances – most of which will take place at Emirates Palace – blending East and West through music, opera and dance.
One of the most intriguing shows on the bill is the UAE premiere of Four Movements
for Two Pianos, on March 24, where pianists Dennis Russell Davies and Maki Namekawa will perform work composed by experimental music composer Philip Glass. The 80-year-old American has also been announced as the recipient of the Abu Dhabi Festival Award for his influential career in the arts.
It is yet to be confirmed whether he will travel to the capital to receive it.
Ballet fans should also enjoy the festival-closing performance, Don Quixote, by Spain’s Compania Nacional de Danza on March 30 at Emirates Palace.
While Indie music fans should also welcome the arrival the eclectic American mini-pop orchestra Pink Martini on March 21.
With India as the country of honour for the 2018 edition, and the official festival theme called The Year of Zayed, expect a range of activities highlighting the cultural links between both countries, in addition to a showcase of India’s rich artistic tradition – the highlight being the lush dance production The Merchants of Bollywood, which takes place on March 8 and 9.
There is a range of further initiatives to be revealed – art, film and theatre workshops, in addition to the discussion series Riwaq Al Fikr – from the organiser, Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, over the next coming months.
For now, here is the Abu Dhabi Festival’s major performance programme: Nicola Benedetti with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Pre-festival performance When: Monday, February 19 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
Renowned violinist Benedetti joins an ensemble of masters performing on instruments from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Orchestra of Enlightenment brings together a unique sound that challenges our expectations of what classical music should sound like. The Merchants of Bollywood When: Thursday, March 8 and Friday, March 9 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
This colourful theatrical spectacular celebrates the Bollywood film industry through music and dance. The show features vibrant costumes, choreography by Vaibhavi Merchant and a score by Salim and Sulaiman Merchant. They have already
Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Rome Conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano with Beatrice Rana, piano, and Kyung Wha Chung, violin When: Sunday, March 11 and Monday, March 12 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
These two evenings will be led by one of Europe’s most dynamic conductors. The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world – it was founded in 1585. For the Abu Dhabi Festival, the orchestra will be conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, music director of the Royal Opera House, London, and joined by pianist Beatrice Rana and violinist Kyung Wha Chung. On the first night, the prodigious 22-year-old pianist will perform Tchaikovsky’s
Piano Concerto No 1, while night two features one of the greatest violinists of her generation taking on Brahms’ Violin Concerto.
The night will conclude with the power of Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben. Waves of My Life by Ihab Darwish With Beethoven Academy Orchestra, conducted by Stoyan Stoyanov, UAE premiere
When: Wednesday, March 14 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
After years of preparation and study with leading European musical institutions, Darwish returns to his home soil for the premiere of Waves
of My Life, which brings together diverse musical talent – from Beethoven’s Academy Orchestra to Sammy Clark. As well as this special performance, Darwish’s debut album will be available as part of the Composer’s Platform. The Opera in Concert Deborah Voigt and Bechara Moufarrej When: Thursday, March 15 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
Deborah Voigt, revered as one of the world’s great sopranos, will be joined by Bechara Moufarrej, the Lebanese tenor, for an intimate operatic recital and an Arab world premiere. Singing the Legends A Night of Jazz with Omar Kamal, UAE premiere When: Saturday, March 17 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
Palestinian singer and composer Omar Kamal has a timeless voice that also transcends borders. From the dreamy swoon of Sinatra to timeless Arab idols like Mohammed Abdel Wahab and Umm Kulthum, Kamal brings together eternal repertoires and emotional hits. Dr L Subramaniam (violin) and Ambi Subramaniam (violin) with Grammy Award winner Vikku Vinayakram (percussion) When: Sunday, March 18 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
Three of India’s foremost musicians team up for this unique event – Subramaniam alone, considered India’s foremost violinist, has produced, performed, collaborated on and conducted close to 200 recordings. He remains the only musician who has recorded Carnatic as well as Western classical music, orchestral and nonorchestral, composed for and conducted major orchestras, films and collaborated with different genres of music. We the Living Dance Production by Tanusree Shankar Dance Academy
When: Monday, March 19 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
We the Living is inspired by Sufi poet Jelaluddin Rumi’s Human
Being, translated into English by Coleman Barks. Tanusree Shankar’s presentation celebrates what may be called the life force through dance. Pink Martini Live in Abu Dhabi, UAE premiere When: Wednesday, March 21 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
Known affectionately as “the little orchestra”, Pink Martini is a rollicking around-theworld musical adventure. Founded in 1994, the band crosses classical, jazz and classic pop genres, performing music from all over the world. The dynamic band has shared the stage with many of the most prestigious symphony orchestras and has collaborated with artists from Rufus Wainwright and Chavela Vargas to Gus van Sant. Lead singer China Forbes will be joined by guest stars Ari Shapiro, host of NPR’s All Things Considered, designer Ikram Goldman and Timothy Nishimoto. Pianographique Philip Glass’ Four Movements for Two Pianos with live visualisation When: Saturday, March 24 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
This immersive multimedia spectacular, and Arab world premiere, envisions a distinctive work by Philip Glass, one of the most influential cultural pioneers of the late 20th century, brought dramatically to life through the radical approach of Ars Electronica. Philip Glass’ compositions have redrawn the limits of contemporary classical music, his trademark style influencing everything from minimalism to pop music to become a part of our cultural landscape. Performed by Dennis Russell Davies and Maki Namekawa, the artists for whom Glass composed the work, Four Movements for Two Pianos is characterised by a light, freewheeling grace, refined and heightened through Ars Electronica’s realtime visualisation.
Amjad Ali Khan The Sarod Master When: Sunday, March 25 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
Amjad Ali Khan, the Sarod Samrat, is a distinguished maestro of Indian classical music. He has performed in Pakistan, China, New Zealand, United States, Germany and Japan, as well as Moscow, London and Rome. Ali Khan has won several awards, including the Padmashree and the Tansen Award. The Bach Project The Festival Recital Series, in partnership with Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel
When: Wednesday, March 28 Where: Red Theatre at the Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi
An epic evening of the complete Bach concertos for two, three and four pianos. The Festival Recital Series continues its tradition of presenting rising stars through a collaboration with Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (QEMC). Young prodigies from the school will be part of the performance, alongside Julian Libeer, the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, led by pianist Frank Braley and QEMC’s master-in-residence pianist, Louis Lortie.
Don Quixote
Compania Nacional de Danza, Arab world premiere When: Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30 Where: Emirates Palace Auditorium
A vivid tale of imagination, friendship, love and loyalty, the famed ballet tells the story of Miguel de Cervantes’ romantic knight Don Quixote. In a vibrant interpretation by Spain’s Compania Nacional de Danza, its director, José Carlos, Martínez creates a fascinating musical take brimming with passion.