It has been 10 years since Dubai Opera opened its doors, setting the stage for a decade of performances that brought everything from blockbuster musicals and classic operas to sweaty rock shows and intimate recitals.
That eclecticism runs throughout the line-up of its latest season, which celebrates the milestone while continuing to bring leading performance companies, theatre shows, comedians and old favourites to the Downtown Dubai venue.
“I think that is really what differentiates us, how diverse our audience is,” Dubai Opera head Lara Ewing tells The National. “The only single thing that I can distil it to is that people want to come together. But it’s not a singular thing.”
Ewing says the programme also reflects how Dubai’s cultural landscape has changed over the past decade.
“Back then, we really needed to make a mark with our shows and say, ‘Hey, this is Dubai Opera,’ and make an impact both locally and internationally. Whereas now we’re known, people know what Dubai Opera is, so we’ve got a bit more flexibility to take risks.”
Here are the shows to look out for in the latest season.
1. Dubai Opera's 10th Anniversary Gala, September 12
Egyptian soprano Fatma Said joins the UAE National Orchestra and Festival Chorus for a concert marking a decade since Dubai Opera opened.
Conducted by Ahmed Farag, the programme includes opera and Arabic classics alongside the world premiere of a new orchestral work by Egyptian composer Mohamed Medhat. Dance also features Jan Martens’s Period Piece, performed by Kaine Ward.
Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh550
2. The Marriage of Figaro Ballet, September 17 to 19
The Ukrainian National Ballet turns Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro into a ballet, bringing the 18th-century opera’s romance, mistaken identities and comedy to the stage as part of a work marking the 270th anniversary of Mozart’s birth.
Shows at 2pm and 8pm; tickets from Dh350
3. God Save the Queen, October 5
Queen fans can get ready to go Radio Ga Ga with high-octane tribute show God Save the Queen, with the Argentine band recreating the symphonic pop and barrelling rockers of the UK band in a hit-filled set including Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, Somebody to Love and Radio Ga Ga.
Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh295
4. Marilyne Naaman, October 6
Lebanese singer and actress Marilyne Naaman returns to Dubai Opera with a concert blending Arabic music and western pop influences. She reached a wider audience through The Voice France and has since released songs including Nachez, 5 Minutes and Lech Ma Bterjaa?.
Her recording of Ana Min, the theme song from the television drama Bil Dam, became a regional hit in 2025.
Doors open 7.30pm; show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh295
5. The Amy Winehouse Band, October 8
Amy Winehouse’s appeal also came from the tight funk and jazz musicianship surrounding her. Musicians who performed alongside the late singer now take the stage for a concert celebrating her music.
Led by her long-time bassist and musical director Dale Davis, the band will perform songs spanning Frank and Back to Black, including Rehab, Valerie and Love Is a Losing Game.
Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh300
6. Mohandis Al Thauq Al Aam, October 9 and 10
Kuwaiti theatre comes to Dubai Comedy Festival with Mohandis Al Thauq Al Aam, a new Arabic-language production written and directed by Abdulaziz Safar.
Starring Khaled Al-Muzaffar, Khaled Al-Ojairi, Mohammad Safar and Iman Faisal, the play follows a couple navigating the chaos of expecting their first child.
Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh250
7. Dubai Comedy Festival, October 9 to 18
Dubai Comedy Festival returns for its seventh edition with 10 days of stand-up in several languages across venues in the city.
Dubai Opera hosts several festival shows, with Munawar Faruqui, Mo Gilligan, John Achkar and Amit Tandon on the bill alongside the Arabic-language play Mohandis Al Thauq Al Aam.
Show times and ticket prices vary
8. Gipsy Kings by Andre Reyes, October 22
A new twist on the sound of the beloved group has founding member Andre Reyes lead a symphonic version of the Gipsy Kings repertoire, with hits such as Bamboleo, Djobi Djoba, Volare and Un Amor reworked with full orchestral arrangements.
Doors open 7.30pm; show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh395
9. Titize – A Venetian Dream, October 29 to 31
Venice is the inspiration for this eclectic show mixing circus, theatre, dance and live music.
The 10-member cast use acrobatics, clowning and physical theatre to create a dreamlike version of Venice through its masks, waterways and carnival traditions.
Shows at 2pm and 8pm; tickets from Dh275
10. Benjamin Clementine, November 1
British singer, pianist and composer Benjamin Clementine performs a programme combining experimental pop, contemporary classical music, jazz and poetry. His debut album, At Least for Now, won the Mercury Prize, while later recordings include I Tell a Fly and And I Have Been.
Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh500
11. Ministry of Sound Classical, November 7
Club anthems are given an orchestral spin as Ministry of Sound Classical brings dance music into the concert hall.
Conducted by David Mahoney, the show combines a full orchestra and vocalists with electronic music, lighting and visuals, drawing on tracks associated with decades of club culture.
Showtime and ticket prices TBC
12. Trevor Noah, November 25, 26, 28 and 29
Trevor Noah brings a new stand-up show to Dubai across four nights. The Emmy Award-winning South African comedian and former host of The Daily Show has released several Netflix specials, hosts the podcast What Now? with Trevor Noah and is the author of Born a Crime and Into the Uncut Grass.
Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh295
13. Hiba Tawaji and Ibrahim Maalouf, November 27
Hiba Tawaji and Ibrahim Maalouf will unite for a one-night performance at Dubai Opera, with the programme drawing on French musical heritage through a blend of chanson, jazz and contemporary composition.
Tawaji’s emotive vocals and Maalouf’s genre-crossing trumpet work make this one of the more distinctive concert pairings on the calendar.
Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh355
14. The Tsar's Bride by the Bolshoi Theatre, December 2
The Bolshoi Theatre begins its first official UAE tour with Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride.
Set during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the opera centres on Marfa, a young woman whose selection as the tsar’s bride sets off jealousy, rivalry and political intrigue.
Showtime and ticket prices TBC
15. Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, December 3
The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra takes centre stage for a symphonic concert on the second night of the company’s first official UAE tour.
Showtime and ticket prices TBC
16. The Nutcracker by the Bolshoi Theatre, December 4 to 6
The Nutcracker has become a Dubai Opera tradition, and this year’s production will feature the Bolshoi Theatre, with Tchaikovsky’s ballet performed by the company’s dancers and orchestra.
Yuri Grigorovich’s choreography follows Marie from a family Christmas celebration into a fantasy world of toys and magic, set to a score containing some of Tchaikovsky’s best-known music.
Show times and ticket prices TBC
17. Guy Manoukian, December 11
Guy Manoukian marks Dubai Opera’s 10th anniversary by returning for his own milestone 10th performance at the venue, following nine sold-out shows.
The Lebanese-Armenian pianist and composer blends original work with Arabic melodies and contemporary arrangements, with his repertoire also drawing on the music of Fairouz and Abdel Halim Hafez.
Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh330
18. Denis Matsuev, December 16
Russian pianist Denis Matsuev moves between classical repertoire and jazz in a concert titled Classics and Jazz.
Show starts 8pm; tickets from Dh350
19. Abracadabra, December 18 and 19
Gulf theatre comes to Dubai Opera with Abracadabra, an Arabic-language suspense comedy about two struggling theatre groups trying to save their careers. Their plan to stage a new show inside an abandoned theatre is disrupted by strange events, unexpected twists and a series of comic situations.
The production runs for about an hour and blends Gulf theatre, suspense and entertainment.
Shows at 6pm and 9pm; tickets from Dh230
20. Tony Ann, January 10, 2027
Canadian pianist and composer Tony Ann makes his Dubai Opera debut with a programme blending contemporary piano and classical influences. Known for his viral #playthatword series and the Emotionally Blue, Orange and Red EP trilogy, Ann has also co-written The Chainsmokers' tracks Sick Boy and Call You Mine.
Show starts 8.30pm; tickets from Dh229
21. Swan Lake on Ice, January 14 to 17, 2027
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is reimagined on ice by the Imperial Ice Stars, with 24 skaters bringing together figure skating, ballet, aerial movement and theatrical choreography.
The production follows the story of Odette, Prince Siegfried and Rothbart, with snowfall, fog, pyrotechnic effects and elaborate costumes adding to the staging.
Shows at 2pm and 8pm; tickets from Dh300
22. Buena Vista Social Club Legacy Concert, January 24, 2027
Vibrant Cuban music takes over Dubai Opera with a concert featuring Ibrahim Ferrer Jr, son of Buena Vista Social Club singer Ibrahim Ferrer, alongside veteran laud player Barbarito Torres.
Billed as Una Noche En La Habana, the show draws on son, bolero and other Cuban traditions associated with the musicians who brought Buena Vista Social Club to international audiences in the late 1990s.
Showtime and ticket prices TBC
