Grand opening set for Louvre
PROGRAMME INCLUDES DANCE AND MUSIC PERFORMANCES AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS AND GUIDED TOURS FOR THE MUSEUM’S VISITORS
T he opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi will be a grand affair with four days of celebrations that include a series of performances, workshops and shows, organisers said yesterday.
These festivities will begin soon after the museum opens to the public at 10am on November 11, the Louvre Abu Dhabi announced in a statement.
During the day, visitors will be able to participate in workshops or take guided tours around the museum. A number of dance and musical performances are also planned for the daytime, and a series of headline acts enthral audiences in the evening. In addition, the evening of November 11 will also feature a dramatic lightvideo-theatre performance by French pyrotechnic wizards, Groupe F, to celebrate the collection and architecture of the museum.
Creativity
Manuel Rabate, director of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “Creativity, cross-cultural understanding and humanity’s innate fascination with discovering new ideas and traditions from around the world are at the heart of the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s ethos and collections.
“The spectacular opening week programme really is a celebration of diversity, bringing together talented musicians, artists and performers from countries spanning the globe, and will offer a colourful and unforgettable experience to launch this project,” said.
The museum, developed under a 2007 intergovernmental agreement between the UAE and France features collections from across civilisations and cultures. Its 600-piece permanent collection ranges from the Palaeolithic era to the present day, and these will be supplemented by loans from leading French museums and regional cultural institutions.
The statement from the museum said that tickets are now available online for headline acts, including French singer and rock guitarist Matthieu Chedid, known as — M —, Malian performer Fatoumata Diawara; Lebanese jazz and world musician Ibrahim Maalouf, and singer and dancer Totó La Momposina, whose performances are inspired by Colombian Caribbean traditions.
Designing masks
Those who wish to participate in workshops will be able to design unique geometric patterns or masks, or hone their observational skills as they go through the galleries. Registration for these will be free, and can be completed at the museum’s ticketing desk.
Finally, there will be guided tours designed to introduce the museum’s masterpieces, engage families, and highlight French architect Jean Nouvel’s architecture of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.