A world premiere, Arab headliners and large-scale family shows feature in the new season at the Royal Opera House Muscat.
Running from October to May, the programme has more than 50 events and features artists and production companies from the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
The concert line-up includes veteran Saudi singer Rabeh Saqer and Lebanon’s Diana Haddad, while a grand opera production of Sindbad: The Omani Sailor will open the season with a world premiere.
Family favourites include a screening of the Oscar-winning animated film The Lion King with live orchestra, as well as the popular dance show Cinderella on Ice.
Here's a look at what is on offer.
The operas
The opening night curtain rises on Sindbad: The Omani Sailor on October 3 and 5. The production features music by Egyptian composer Hisham Gabr; an Arabic libretto by Nader Salah El Din; and the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. A regional and international cast will bring to life the legendary sailor and adventurer, long tied to Oman’s seafaring heritage.
Puccini’s tragic opera Tosca, set in 19th-century Rome, will be staged on January 29 and 31, featuring Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio in the title role, Vittorio Grigolo as Cavaradossi and Ambrogio Maestri as the villainous Scarpia. The opera is backed by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre under conductor Fabio Mastrangelo.
Donizetti’s Don Pasquale is another highlight, with shows on April 9 and 11. It tells a comedic tale of an elderly bachelor who gets more than he bargained for in his quest for marriage. The cast is led by Italian bass Carlo Lepore, with Francesco Lanzillotta conducting the Oviedo Filarmonia and featuring Choir 1685 of the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Ravenna.
The Arab stars
Diana Haddad will take the stage twice, first as a special guest at the Omani Women’s Day Concert on October 17 with the Egyptian duo Ayoub Sisters and the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra Ladies’ Ensemble; and then performing her hits in a solo show on October 18.
Rabeh Saqer, who has a repertoire that spans five decades, will perform an outdoor show at the opera house’s courtyard, the Maidan, on November 13.
The sultanate’s rich music tradition will be showcased on December 12 with the Omani Night concert, featuring the works of renowned local composer Sayyid Khalid Al Busaidi performed by the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra.
There will be three Evenings of Sufi and Inshaad performances that run on February 26, March 5 and March 9 during Ramadan, with prominent performers from Egypt, Syria and Oman.
Lebanese singer and composer Abeer Nehme will deliver her signature repertoire of Levantine folk and opera with concerts on May 14 and 15.
Classical and ballet
The Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra will perform on October 4, joined by the Oman Traditional Music Ensemble.
Russia’s Ossipov National Academic Folk Instrument Orchestra performs on November 17, presenting folk song arrangements alongside symphonic works by classical composers reimagined for Russian folk instruments. Soloists include Sofia Onopchenko, Albina Degtyareva and Arslan Umurzakov.
The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra closes the year with a December 31 concert featuring pianist Behzod Abduraimov in Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and violinist Elli Choi performing Alexey Shor’s Violin Concerto No 5.
On January 30, Helene Mercier and Louis Lortie will perform Liszt’s two-piano arrangement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with choir and soloists.
Meanwhile, the ballet Coppelia by Astana Opera, based on 20th-century choreography by Roland Petit, will be staged on December 4 and 5, while Spain’s National Ballet brings Estampas Flamencas on May 7 and 8.
World music and jazz
The Janoska Ensemble from Slovakia and Vienna Chamber Orchestra will collaborate on October 30 and 31 with a repertoire that blends improvisation, original works and their popular reworking of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
American jazz singer Emmaline will perform on November 27 and 28, joined by pianist Anthony Strong. The programme features her original songs and jazz standards.
Family entertainment
The Maidan will once again host Military Music: Oman and the World from November 6 to 8, featuring Omani military and police bands performing alongside international marching ensembles in full regalia.
French company Lumen Creations brings its acrobatic theatre piece Symphony of Lights on December 18 and 19, while Cinderella on Ice opens the new year with performances from January 1 to 3.
The Lion King Live in Concert, accompanied by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, will be performed on February 13 and 14.
All performances are staged in the main auditorium unless noted otherwise. Tickets and timings are available on the Royal Opera House Muscat website
MEYDAN CARD
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
8.15pm Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
8.50pm The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Majestic Thunder
7.05pm Commanding
7.40pm Mark Of Approval
8.15pm Mulfit
8.50pm Gronkowski
9.25pm Walking Thunder
10pm Midnight Sands
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
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."
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
