Eclectic shows ranging from Arabic and British pop to Emirati theatre are on the cards for Eid Al Adha.
This year, it is expected to fall on Sunday, June 16 with holidays for the public and private sector to be announced soon.
Here are some of the key gigs announced so far for the season.
1. Harishankar – Kings in Concert: June 14 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Two giants of Indian popular music will take the stage to celebrate their respective careers. Shankar Mahadevan, a member of the Bollywood songwriting trio Shankar-Ehasan-Loy, comes to Dubai on the back of winning this year's Grammy for Best Global Music Album for The Moment. Playback singer Hariharan will perform songs from a 50-year body of work featured in hit Malayalam films including Aasai and Kadha Thudarunnu.
Showtime is 6pm, tickets from Dh200; coca-cola-arena.com
2. Deacon Blue: June 14 at The Agenda, Dubai
Nearly 35 years since the Scottish pop band Deacon Blue were formed in Glasgow, they are still going strong. The greatest hits performance will feature key tracks Real Gone Kid, Dignity and I Was Right and You Were Wrong.
Doors open 8pm, tickets from Dh195; theagenda.com
3. Jeonghwan Kim: June 15 at Dubai Opera
Savour the technique of the winner of the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition. The South Korean will perform a programme ranging from Mozart to Schumann and Chopin.
Showtime is 8pm, tickets from Dh199; dubaiopera.com
4. Jason Derulo: June 15 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
The Savage Love singer headlines the EarthSoul festival and will perform hits including Whatcha Say, Wiggle and Swalla. The US singer recently released Nu King, his first album in nine years, and Dubai is an early stops on his world tour.
Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh199; coca-cola-arena.com
5. Umm Kulthum Hologram: June 18 at Dubai Opera
The late Egyptian singer became the subject of the Arab world’s first hologram concert, staged in Saudi Arabia's Al Ula in 2019. The show returns to Dubai, with the most updated version of the Umm Kulthum hologram performing her hits alongside a live band.
Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh300; dubaiopera.com
6. Amr Diab: June 18 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
The Egyptian singer has been the reigning pop king in the Mena region since his 1983 debut album Ya Tareea.
He made a mark beyond the Arabic-speaking world with his 1996 hit Nour El Ain, which became one of the most popular songs to come out of the Middle East.
Showtime is 9.30pm; tickets from Dh295; coca-cola-arena.com
7. Matilda, The Musical: June 20 to 23 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
The musical, now in its 13th year on London's theatre circuit, returns to the UAE after its successful run at Dubai Opera last year. Inspired by the children’s book by Roald Dahl, it tells the story of a little girl with a vivid imagination, a sharp mind and a hunger to devour knowledge as she takes control of her own life in the midst of hardship.
Evening and matinée shows; tickets from Dh150; etihadarena.ae
8. Hussain Al Jassmi & Sherine Abdel-Wahab: June 21 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Two of the Arab world's most-loved pop artists will team up to perform separate gigs. Even if Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi's Eid concerts have become an annual tradition, his consistent performances and hit-filled catalogue remain a big draw. Look out for crowd favourites Seta El Sobah, Bel Bont El Areed and Fakadtak. Meanwhile, Egypt's Sherine Abdelwahab will bring her mix of euphoric pop and dramatic ballads to Dubai with enduring hits Ah Ya Leil and Kalam Eneih.
Showtime is 9pm, tickets from Dh150; coca-cola-arena.com
9. Al Jar: June 21-22 at Dubai Opera
The Emirati theatre production is a comedy about two warring neighbours, Mubarak and Abdullah, whose exploits get their family and community in trouble.
Showtime is 8pm, tickets from Dh300; dubaiopera.com
10. French Montana: June 22 at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
The last time French Montana was on stage in the UAE, it was during a surprise appearance at Post Malone's 2018 gig at Etihad Arena. Since then, the Moroccan-American rapper has released enough hits to earn his own gig. Expect to hear favourites including Unforgettable, No Stylist and Pop That.
Showtime is 8pm; tickets from Dh199; coca-cola-arena.com
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
