Dubai Opera to host 25 concerts as part of InClassica International Music Festival

The month-long series features 50 soloists and three orchestras

US violinist Gil Shaham will perform at Dubai Opera as part of the month-long classical music festival starting in May. Photo: Chris-Lee

Dubai Opera will host a month-long series of classical music concerts next month.

The Dubai Downtown venue will be the venue for the InClassica International Music Festival, which will take place from May 8 to June 2.

The 25-concert series will feature an eclectic array of performances, featuring 50 renowned soloists, three leading orchestras and 11 celebrated conductors.

One of the highlights of the series is a performance by Grammy Award-winning violinist Gil Shaham, from America, who will play alongside the Berlin Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday, May 25.

Turkish pianist and composer Fazil Say, German Music Critics' Best Recording of the Year Award winner, will be on hand to play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 on Wednesday, May 18.

South Korean pianist, Yekwon Sunwoo, medalist of the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will perform a repertoire including Chopin and Debussy on Wednesday, May 11.

Vocalists will also display their talents as part of the festival.

On Thursday, May 12, Russian soprano Anna Aglatova will join the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra for a night of arias by composers Shor, Mendelssohn, Donizetti, Delibes and Lehar.

Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja will also return to Dubai on Sunday, May 15 with a packed programme of orchestral and opera favourites, including arias by Verdi and Puccini.

Another standout event will be the joint performance by two classical music stars, Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev and Swedish violinist Daniel Lozakovich.

Their Monday, May 23 concert will feature four pieces by composers Dvorak, Grieg, Shor and Franck.

The series ends on Thursday, June 2 with a lavish concert featuring the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and special guest, Japanese violinist Fumiaki Miura, for a repertoire including Shore's Phantasms for violin and orchestra and Dvorak's Symphony No.7.

All concerts will start at 8pm. Tickets cost between Dh180 to Dh255, and are available from www.dubaiopera.com. Proof of vaccination is not required for any of the festival concerts.