Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra to perform at Expo 2020 Dubai

The ensemble will pay tribute to the United Nations with two shows at Al Wasl Plaza

Syrian-Czech conductor Riad Kudsi will lead the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra in a concert at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Abu Dhabi Festival

The Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform in Expo 2020 Dubai this month.

The ensemble, comprised of international musicians residing in the UAE, will take to the Expo's main stage, Al Wasl Plaza, for a pair of performances at 10.30am and 3pm on Sunday.

Follow the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai here

With United Nations Celebration Day the following Monday, the orchestra will mark the occasion with an international programme featuring works by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi and German’s Johann Sebastian Bach, in addition to pieces by Russian great Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

Under the baton of Syrian-Czech maestro Riad Kudsi, the concerts will include a rendition of the Hymn to the United Nations, composed by Spain's Pablo Casals with lyrics provided by English poet W.H. Auden

The orchestra’s Expo visit comes on the back of their Abu Dhabi Festival concert, which is taking place on Saturday at The Theatre in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates.

With Brazilian violin prodigy Guido Sant’Anna as guest soloist, the 8pm show has an eclectic programme, including pieces by German composers Johannes Brahms and George Frideric Handel.

Sant’Anna will be on hand to perform Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.

Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra caps off their run of performances on Monday with two online concerts for the Korea Festival, the timing and programme of which will be revealed soon on the event’s website.

Classical music lovers are spoilt for choice of late.

This month Abu Dhabi Classics returned with a duet by Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon and French harpist Xavier de Maistre at the Cultural Foundation.

Four more concerts have been announced for the capital as part of the series, including a gala show by La Scala Academy Orchestra, the in-house ensemble of Milan's prestigious Scala Theatre, at Etihad Arena on Thursday, November 25.

Also announced this week is Expo 2020 Dubai's Al Wasl Opera, taking place at Dubai Opera from Tuesday to Friday, November 16 to 19.

Produced in collaboration with Welsh National Opera, the first Emirati opera has been created under Expo 2020’s theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” and will feature more than 100 artists and musicians from around the world.

Composed and co-written by the UAE's Mohammed Fairouz and Maha Gargash respectively, the opera was named after the old moniker for Dubai. It also translates as “the connection” in English, fittingly for Expo 2020’s theme.