A veritable carnival of culture begins this week in the capital when the 9th Annual Abu Dhabi Festival launches. Some of the highlights that have been crammed into the festival calendar include classical music concerts by the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare’s Globe, never-before exhibited paintings by Iraqi artist Hassan Massoudy and stunning displays by the Shaolin Monks. Plus community and environmental associated events, debates, workshops and educational programmes.
Time Out takes a sneak peak at some of what’s on offer…
Many events are free to attend, but some are ticketed. These range in price for the event and the type of seat. Check out www.abudhabifestival.ae for more details.
Art
Gestures of Light
It goes without saying that the highlight art event (by which we mean painting) of the Abu Dhabi Festival is ‘Gestures of Light,’ the solo Ghaf Gallery exhibition by Hassan Massoudy. Trained in traditional Islamic calligraphy in Bagdad before studying fine art at the Ecole des Beaux in Paris, Massoudy’s artwork demonstrates a synthesis between these contrasting sources. It fuses the modern with the classical in pursuit of a higher aesthetic harmony. This is an ADF commission and Massoudy’s Arab world premiere, in which the Iraqi artist and calligrapher showcases his work and conducts guided tours and educational workshops for visitors to the exhibition
Gestures of Light is on Sunday-Thursday from 10am-9pm from March 19-April 15 at the Ghaf Gallery. Guided tour and book signing with Hassan Massoudy is at 11am and 3pm on March 20. Other guided tours take place on March 24 and 31 from 3pm; March 28 from 5pm; April 7 and 14 from 3pm; and April 4 and 11 from 5pm. Free admission but booking is essential. Email: Amanda.s@admaf.org
A Creative Education
In an effort to uphold the founding pillar of ADF, a panel of leading experts will come together to discuss the value of an education in the arts, as well as methods of creative learning.
April 1 from 7-8.30pm at the Emirates Palace Room M001. Free event but booking essential. Email: hollie.g@admaf.org
Community
Culture of the Coast
Culture of the Coast is a day-long visit to Al Ghantoot Coastal Marine Reserve to explore the heritage of the country’s coastline, providing a brief glance backwards in time to learn about how the livelihoods in Abu Dhabi once depended on the fishing and pearl diving industries. The trip includes the chance to meet and talk with a traditional dhow sea captain, observing rare species in their natural environment, games and a scavenger hunt.
March 24, 10am. Shuttle bus leaves from Hiltonia Beach parking at 8.30am. Free admission but booking essential. Email: community@admaf.org
Speak Emirati
A series of ten workshops by Dubomedy to learn the Emirati dialect and better understand Emirati culture. Registration is on March 25 and the course runs every Sunday from April 1 to June 3.
March 25 7.30-9.30pm registration, then every 7.30-9.30pm every Sunday from April 1 to June 3. Free admission but booking is essential. Email: community@admaf.org
Earth Hour
More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour last year, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. This year, a drumming spectacular on the Corniche will spread the message while lights will be turned off across the city from 8.30pm for one hour.
March 31, 7.30pm-9.30pm. Corniche
Education
Baby O
The Scottish Opera Baby O is a musical experience for parents and babies, aimed to stimulate the senses of little ones from as young as six months up to two years.
March 13-15, 3pm at the Les FansFans Nursery. Booking essential. Email: education@admaf.org
Young Artists’ Day
A day-long event nurturing young talent and presenting a new musical work by the capital’s young musicians and the Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble.
March 17 7-8.30pm at the Abu Dhabi Theatre. Free admission.
BBC Philharmonic Maestro
Ambisonic technology gives kids (under 1.6 meters tall) a chance at conducting a digital version of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra as they play Rossini’s William Tell overture.
17 March, 9-11am, 12.30-1.30pm, 6-7pm, 8.30-9.30pm; 18-19 March, 8am-midnight at the Abu Dhabi Theatre Foyer.
Mohammed Ghani Hikmat
A tribute celebrating the life and works of the Iraqi sculptor who is not only responsible for some of Bagdad’s most famous landmarks, but also for invaluable influences on the region’s contemporary art movement.
April 3, 7-8.30pm at Emirates Palace. Free event but booking essential. Email hollie.g@admaf.org
The Artists’ Studio
To learn more about creative and cultural industries in the arts, go online to be inspired from the comfort of your own room. Abu Dhabi Festival have made accessible a series of interviews by participating artists addressing a student audience via the medium of YouTube.
www.youtube.com/admaf96
Music
Bayt Al Farabi
The Festival also pays homage to the 9th-century Islamic musician and philosopher Abu Nasr Muhammas Al Farabi in a series of three concerts, each evening from March 27-29 at the Emirates Palace Ballroom. The first will witness Anwar Abudragh’s Maqamat ensemble perform traditional singing known as the maqam. The second night will see the award- winning Turkish composer Göksel Baktagir celebrate the traditional 10th century Iranian instrument, the qanun. Finally, the third is by one of the country’s new generation of artists, Faisal Al Sari, who combines the classical and jazz genres with the sounds of Emirati heritage.
March 27, 28 and 29, 8pm, Emirates Palace Ballroom 1. Tickets for each concert are Dhs50.
Natalie Cole in concert
One of the highlights of the whole Festival will be Natalie Cole, daughter of the legendary Nat King Cole, making her very first appearance in the Middle East. The nine-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and performer will wow those lucky enough to get a ticket at the Emirates Palace Auditorium.
April 4, 8pm, Emirates Palace Auditorium. Tickets range from Dhs295-Dhs495.
Theatre & Stage
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Globe Education at Shakespeare’s Globe presents a specially commissioned production for young people that breathes new life into this clever play. This would have to be one of our Shakespearean favourites with its cast of mortals, mechanicals and fairies – and the folks promise to do it justice. Packed with poetry and comedy, this performance is set to be a real treat.
March 20, 7.30pm, Abu Dhabi Theatre, tickets are Dhs50.
Sutra
Monday at the Emirates Palace will see a stunning blend of Kung Fu, Tai Chi and contemporary dance that comes to life courtesy of the illustrious Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. Award-winning choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui will join forces with the Turner Prize-Winning artist Antony Gormley along with 17 Monks all the way from the legendary Shaolin Temple in China. Expect the boundaries of modern dance to be combined with the intensity and energy of martial arts. This amazing performance will be accompanied by live music from Polish composer Szymon Brzoska, and promises to take the concept of cultural exchange to a new level.
March 26, 8pm, at the Emirates Place Auditorium, tickets range from Dhs295-Dhs495.
Wagner’s ‘Ring Cycle’
Presented over two weeks, this four-opera epic is directed by Robert Lepage and conducted by Met Music Director James Levine and the company’s Principal Director Fabio Luisi. It premiered at the New York Met over the course of 2010 and 2011, and stars Bryn Terfel as Wotan, Deborah Voigt as Brunnhilde, Jay Hunter Morris as Siegfried and Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund. German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was one of the most influential figures of 19th Century music; his ideas of combining music, theatre, literature, architecture and other disciplines has had an impact far beyond the world of opera. The Ring Cycle – a story loosely based in medieval Iceland and Germany – may well be his masterpiece, and took an astounding 26 years to complete. And if he spent 26 years making it, then we will darn well spend a couple of hours admiring it; you should be there too.
Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 March, Sunday 1 and Tuesday 3 April at 7pm. VOX Cinemas, Marina Mall. Tickets are Dhs120.
Bookings for all events can be made through Time Out Tickets at www.timeout tickets.com/abudhabifestival or calling 800 4669. Tickets can also be aquired through the Festival box office, located in Emirates Palace until April 6 and open daily 10am-1pm and 4pm-7pm. Students can receive a 50 percent discount upon presentation of a valid student ID at the box office. Standby tickets may be available for up to one hour before performances from the Standby/ Return desk at the box office.
