If Yanni wasn’t a record breaking composer, he would have earned a comfortable living sound-tracking television sporting montages.
To say the 64-year-old’s Greek American maestro has a penchant for the dramatic is an understatement.
From the triumphant horns and crashing symbols, to the sweeping strings and propulsive percussion, Yanni’s compositions have the ability to make an egg and spoon race sound thrilling.
Reason one: Yanni says it best when saying nothing at all
But that doesn’t explain why he remains loved the world over, from normal folk to world leaders who handed him the keys to scared places such as China’s Forbidden City, India’s Taj Mahal and most recently, Egypt’s Giza Pyramids in 2017, to stage his concert spectacles.
One of the reasons is that Yanni's soufflé light instrumental pieces, and evocative titles such as One Man's Dream and Reflections of Passion, have the ability to seep into you and whisper life affirming messages while simultaneously saying nothing at all.
It is similar to reading the daily horoscope and you swear the astrologist has written the day’s message directly to you – where in reality, it is just another generic horoscope reading.
This perhaps explains why Yanni commands a loyal and fervent fan base, while music critics avoid his work like the plague.
I explored the Yanni conundrum further when checking out his Abu Dhabi performance last night at the Du Forum. I was a first time Yanni-er.
It was by far the most diverse crowd I have seen at a UAE gig yet; it ranged from hipster couples and kandora clad gentlemen to those who clearly never attended a concert before – one lady’s unsuccessful attempt to smuggle in a bunch of samosas in her handbag was a dead giveaway.
All were packed tight to see Yanni command his signature eight keyboards station (a nearby grand piano was used occasionally) and his 13-piece band, including one soprano, take the stage for what was a sprawling two-hour set.
Reason two: Yanni creates a mood
The length time for the performance is not down to generosity, but was, in fact, necessity. That’s the second reason for his success, Yanni’s music is not interested in seizing your nervous system with hooks.
A psychology graduate himself, Yanni’s knows the best way to get his point across is through sustained messaging. His music ebbs and flows and is all about creating a mood.
Yanni only paused a few times to provide small introductions to songs, instead, preferring to neatly dip into the next track, lest that spell is broken.
But, as much I hate to admit it and going against all my analytical skills, the whole thing works.
By the time the floral string passages and flutes of the Asiatic With an Orchid arrived I was swept away, my shoulders swayed while I dreamed about being blissfully lost on a mountain top in Bhutan.
With the cascading arpeggios of the nocturnal Nostalgia, I was transported to a solitary boat, cruising down a river with my destination unknown – a grand feat considering I am scared of the ocean.
And when the crowd was summoned by the introductory Olympic sized trumpets of Santorini, towards the end of the set, I felt like throwing a javelin into the night sky.
Reason three: Yanni makes everything feel better
And just like that, when an appreciative Yanni left the stage to a standing ovation, those feelings slowly dissolved to be replaced by the gnawing disappointment of facing the traffic on the way home. But, I walked back to my car feeling lighter and slightly more optimistic with the state of the world.
That is the third and, perhaps, the most important reason for Yanni’s appeal. For a few brief hours he makes this whole existence thing feel more bearable. That is ultimately way cooler than being thought of as cool.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Read more about the coronavirus
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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