The Royal Opera House Muscat in Oman has announced its new season with an eclectic programme encompassing contemporary and classical music, opera and dance.
Nearly 30 productions and concerts are on the calendar with artists from the Middle East, Europe and North Africa.
Some of the big names include popular Lebanese singers Majida El Roumi and Ragheb Alama, as well as large productions of classic operas The Barber of Seville and La Boheme.
Family-friendly productions are also on offer, including popular UK dance show Stomp! and Canadian circus troupe Cirkopolis.
Here are some of the main highlights of the Royal Opera House Muscat’s new season.
The Operas
Kicking off the season is one of the greatest comic operas. The staging of the 19th work The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini will boast a large cast, including Italy’s RAI National Symphony Orchestra and Oman's Opera Choir Group.
Under the baton of Antonino Fogliani, an Italian conductor known for breathing new life into Rossini's work, the The Barber of Seville will start the season with back-to-back performances on September 28 and 30.
That mischief and comedy will soon make way for romance and tragedy with Opera de Monte-Carlo’s retelling of La Boheme on November 23 and 25.
Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, which follows the romantic travails of a wealthy bachelor, will be performed by the Madrid Symphony Orchestra on December 14 and 16.
A new version of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream also features on the programme. Based on 20th century composer Benjamin Britten’s score and performed by Italy’s Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, the production takes place on February 8 and 10.
The Arab stars
Revered and popular Arabic singers have been performing at the regal venue since it launched in 2011.
The new season is no different, with Lebanese singer El Roumi headlining a stirring Omani Women’s Day Concert on October 17 with the Egyptian all-blind-female ensemble Al Nour Wal Amal Orchestra.
El Roumi will return with her own backing band and orchestra for another concert the following night.
Fellow Lebanese crooner Alama will bring his romantic balladry for a pair of concerts on February 2 and 3, while Syrian singer Assala will perform a special concert on March 1 and 2 dedicated to the work of Egyptian composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab.
The ballets
Two of the world’s leading ballet companies will feature as part of the latest season in Muscat.
Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet will present Raymonda with three shows taking place from January 25 to 27.
Premiering in 1898, it is considered as one of the great classical ballets and was originally choreographed by French-Russian ballet dancer Marius Petipa, who also created the steps for other staples Swan Lake and La Bayadere.
Dancers from the Prague National Ballet will team up with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra for the achingly romantic La Fille Mal Gardee on March 6 and 7.
Concerts and world music
Acclaimed jazz trumpeter Randy Brecker will share the stage with Russian saxophonist Igor Butman on October 11 and 12 for a programme featuring their respective solo works and standards.
Indian master sitarist Nishat Khan will also make his Omani debut on November 8 and 10.
In 2024, one of the great voices of Fado, Cristina Branco, will showcase the passion and storytelling of the Portuguese genre on April 19.
The season will end on an uplifting note from Yemen. The May 10 and 11 concerts, titled Traditional Symphonies: A Journey through Yemeni Music promises to be an enchanting evening of local folk music and poetry.
Something for everyone
The Royal Opera House Muscat also boasts several family-friendly events.
China’s Xi’an Acrobatic Troupe will present a full-throttle version of the classic ballet Swan Lake on October 26 and 28.
That energy will be replicated when Canadian circus company Cirkopolis comes to Muscat for a trio of daily performances beginning from December 21.
The Folk Music Festival, an annual event celebrating the music and instruments inherent in Omani culture and traditions, will also return on February 23 and 24.
This will be followed by the famed UK company Stomp, who will bring their blockbuster West End and Broadway show to Oman from April 25 to 27.
More details on performances and tickets for the Royal Opera House Muscat’s new season are available at rohmuscat.org.om
Result
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,950m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Adam McLean, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,950m; Winner: Conclusion, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh100,000 1,400m; Winner: Pilgrim’s Treasure, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m; Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,000m; Winner: Midlander, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
The%20specs
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Read more about the coronavirus
Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
MATCH INFO
Champions League last 16, first leg
Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Global institutions: BlackRock and KKR
US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.
KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
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