Mayyas and Firdaus Orchestra speak of 'honour' to perform with Beyonce in Dubai

Mayyas and Firdaus Orchestra achieved this weekend what many in the entertainment industry could only dream of — sharing a stage with Beyonce.

Queen Bey, as she's popularly known, hit the stage in Dubai to celebrate the grand preview of the much-awaited Atlantis The Royal, drawing in A-list celebrities from all over the world, including Kendall Jenner, Rebel Wilson and Amir Khan.

With her were the Lebanese dance troupe and America's Got Talent 2022 winners, alongside the all-female orchestra that debuted to the public at Expo 2020 Dubai.

"It was an absolute honour to share the stage with the one and only Queen Beyonce," Mayyas posted on its official Instagram account following the performance.

"This moment is dedicated to all the dreamers and believers of the world. Thank you @beyonce and the @parkwood team for allowing us to be a part of your magical world."

Firdaus Orchestra, a 48-member all-female orchestra mentored by Academy Award-winning composer A R Rahman, performed a specially arranged version of Spirit of Rangeela with the superstar on the night.

"Check check check," they wrote on Instagram alongside a gallery of images of them on stage and behind the scenes. "Forever grateful to our home @expocitydubai and our mentor @arrahman ... for our spotlight moment last night!

"Thank you Beyonce and team for an irreplaceable night."

Paying tribute to the region with music and fashion

Putting these regional acts into the limelight was not the only way Beyonce paid tribute to the Arab world. She also chose a series of regional designers for her stage wardrobe.

Opening the show, she appeared wearing a custom-made canary yellow corset-style gown, framed with extravagant feathers, by Dubai house Atelier Zuhra.

For her second look of the night, she chose Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran, who created a red princess-cut dress with gold sequin detailing and embellished sleeves.

The singer wowed crowds with an hour-long set that included an eclectic mix of hits from her extensive back catalogue, as well as a surprise guest performance by her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, 11.

Her performance was followed by a spectacular fireworks display and a DJ set from Swedish House Mafia.

Spanning 63 hectares and housing 795 rooms and suites, as well as countless hospitality venues and no fewer than 90 swimming pools, the resort’s opening has been anticipated for years.

There will be 17 restaurants at the resort, including the Middle East's first Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, from the famed British chef; Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan; and Ariana's Persian Kitchen by the Iranian-American celebrity TV chef and cookbook author Ariana Bundy.

Scroll through the gallery below to see celebrities at Atlantis The Royal's preview weekend

COMPANY%20PROFILE

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Motori Profile

Date started: March 2020

Co-founder/CEO: Ahmed Eissa

Based: UAE, Abu Dhabi

Sector: Insurance Sector

Size: 50 full-time employees (Inside and Outside UAE)

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing

Investors: Safe City Group

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Expo details

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.

It is expected to attract 25 million visits

Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.

More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020

The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area

It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

Can NRIs vote in the election?

Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad

Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency

There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas

Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas

A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians

Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.

This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India

A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians

However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed

The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas

Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online

The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online

The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation

'Nightmare Alley'

Director:Guillermo del Toro

Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara

Rating: 3/5

England squad

Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

Umm Al Quwain – Call 999

Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411

Mayyas and Firdaus Orchestra speak of 'honour' to perform with Beyonce in Dubai

The regional groups shared the stage with Queen Bey at Atlantis The Royal

Paying tribute to the region with music and fashion

COMPANY%20PROFILE

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Expo details

Can NRIs vote in the election?

Read more about the coronavirus

'Nightmare Alley'

England squad

How to report a beggar

Mayyas and Firdaus Orchestra speak of 'honour' to perform with Beyonce in Dubai

The regional groups shared the stage with Queen Bey at Atlantis The Royal

Paying tribute to the region with music and fashion

COMPANY%20PROFILE

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Expo details

Can NRIs vote in the election?

Read more about the coronavirus

'Nightmare&nbsp;Alley'

England squad

How to report a beggar

'Nightmare Alley'