Soulful, virtuosic performances, ballet works spanning the playful and the grave, and a dedicated programme for Emirati musicians are on the cards at the 23rd Abu Dhabi Festival.
The line-up reflects on 50 years of cultural and diplomatic ties with the US, this year’s country of honour.
Taking place under the theme the Wisdom of Culture, the festival will take place across several venues in the capital, including Emirates Palace, NYU Abu Dhabi and Etihad Arena.
“For more than two decades, Abu Dhabi Festival has reflected the UAE’s unwavering dedication to uniting heritage and modernity, tradition and innovation,” said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and founding honorary patron of Abu Dhabi Festival.
“Through co-productions and premieres in collaboration with leading cultural institutions and festivals, it has elevated the presence of Emirati and Arab creativity on the global stage,” he said. “The 2026 edition continues this formidable legacy, bringing leading international artists to the stages of Abu Dhabi – a global cultural capital and Unesco City of Music – while showcasing Emirati talent alongside their global counterparts.”
Here are the highlights from the 2026 Abu Dhabi Festival.
Jon Batiste, April 12
Few musicians can balance virtuosity with storytelling as effectively as Jon Batiste, as evident in the accolades the US pianist has received. Batiste has won several Grammy awards. In 2024, he won two for his biographical music film American Symphony, which unpacks a year of the composer’s life while delving into his wife’s, author Suleika Jaouad, struggle with leukaemia. Batiste also won an Oscar for Best Original Score for his work on Pixar’s Soul, sharing the award with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Batiste is being featured at Abu Dhabi Festival as part of the Maestro series. His solo performance will spotlight his unique approach on the piano, blending jazz, classical, R&B and soul influences.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; Emirates Palace Auditorium
Dhafer Youssef, April 14
Dhafer Youssef will bridge sounds from the East and West in a performance with his quintet. Known for his transcendental vocals and mastery of the oud, the Tunisian maestro is celebrated for merging jazz principles with Arab and North African musical traditions, while also drawing from European classical, Turkish and Indian sources.
His concerts are often cutting-edge, textured with electronic elements. He is expected to perform tracks from his latest album Shiraz, which has been described as his most personal, centred on his relationship with his wife, filmmaker Shiraz Fradi.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; The Red Theater in NYUAD
American Ballet Theatre, April 17
Dubbed one of the greatest dance companies in the world, the American Ballet Theatre will perform works by three American choreographers, each of whom brings a unique style and emotion. Expect Twyla Tharp’s Sextet, with its playfulness and unorthodox nature; the sombre and meditative work of Alexei Ratmansky’s Serenade after Plato’s Symposium; and George Balanchine’s classic Theme and Variations, cast against the music of Tchaikovsky.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; Emirates Palace Auditorium
Minsoo Sohn, April 19
The Well-Tempered Clavier by Bach was originally intended as a teaching exercise, showing the nuances of every major and minor key. Minsoo Sohn will take the 24 preludes and fugues from the first book, bearing the intricacies that make the compositions masterpieces beyond their pedagogical value.
The performance by the Korean-American pianist will be cerebral and poignant, taking listeners through a vast spectrum of human emotion through the different musical keys, expounding what each can evoke.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; The Red Theater in NYUAD
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, April 21
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will mark the 125th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s death. Conducted by Italian conductor Giacomo Sagripanti, the performance will feature some of Verdi’s most renowned compositions, including Nabucco, I Vespri Siciliani, Otello and La Traviata.
The orchestra will also perform alongside famed Italian singers, including soprano Maria Agresta and tenor Giorgio Berrugi.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; Emirates Palace Auditorium
Lisa Batiashvili and Giorgi Gigashvili, April 22
Georgian musicians Lisa Batiashvili and Giorgi Gigashvili will perform several classical compositions by Beethoven, Bartok and Franck. They will also present a new piece by Israeli-Georgian composer Josef Bardanashvili.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; The Red Theater in NYUAD
Sondra Radvanovsky and Vincenzo Scalera, April 25
American-Canadian soprano Sondra Radvanovsky will charge through arias and songs by Bellini, Verdi and Puccini, in a performance accompanied by Italian-American pianist Vincenzo Scalera. The duo will also present songs by Rachmaninoff, the famous Letter Scene from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, as well as three compositions by Richard Strauss.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; The Red Theater in NYUAD
Algarabia, April 26
In this conflation between flamenco and Arab poetic traditions, musicians from Spain’s University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra will perform with dancers and actors from various disciplines.
The story revolves around an Arab girl who embarks on a journey to study ancient botanical theories. Her intellectual curiosity becomes a natural fit with a Spanish florist’s reverence for the scents and colours of flowers.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; Emirates Palace Auditorium
Hauser, May 2
Stjepan Hauser is a case study of how a classical musician can thrive in the age of the internet. The Croatian cellist, who has more than 3.6 million followers on YouTube alone, is known for adding a personal twist to famous classical and contemporary compositions.
Hauser’s concert at Abu Dhabi Festival will feature both ensemble and solo performances, presented with the personal flair and emotive playing that have made him a global figure.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 9pm; Etihad Arena
Fatima Al Hashmi and Ina Chareli, May 12
Fatima Al Hashmi will kick off the festival’s Emirati recital programme. Accompanied by Georgian pianist Ina Chareli, the mezzo-soprano will perform pieces that alternate between classical and traditional Arabic repertoire, in a performance that will flow between meditative and tender to more charged moments.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; The Blue Hall in NYUAD
Saif Al Naqbi, Mubarak Al Dhaheri and Noura Al Marzouqi, May 15
Qanun player Noura Al Marzouqi will join oud virtuosos Saif Al Naqbi and Mubarak Al Dhaheri in a performance that exhibits their training at Abu Dhabi’s Bait Al Oud. The show will explore the nuances of their instruments while also drawing from classical and traditional Arabic music.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; The Blue Hall in NYUAD
Elham Al Marzooqi, May 16
Cellist Elham Al Marzooqi will perform pieces that span classical and contemporary compositions. She will touch upon the various elements and capabilities of the cello as an instrument, while also exhibiting her technical prowess and knowledge of Arab musical history.
Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm; The Blue Hall in NYUAD
