Cast those superstitions aside – there’s nothing “unlucky” about the upcoming Abu Dhabi Festival, which has unveiled a stellar bill for its 13th edition, starring some of the world’s most renowned performers.
The full festival programme was revealed yesterday, with French opera star Natalie Dessay launching the concert series on April 10, performing alongside her husband Laurent Naouri. Cuban dance star Carlos Acosta will follow her onto the Emirates Palace stage, closing the main programme with two performances on April 25 and 26.
They join previously announced headliner Lang Lang, the Chinese pianist – perhaps the most recognisable classical musician in the world – who performs on April 14.
Before the festival begins, a pre-festival show will present the world premiere of an ADF-commissioned, collaborative work from UAE oud player Faisal Al Saari and Swiss pianist Luzia von Wyl, performed at Dubai’s Madinat Theatre on February 6, before heading to Zurich. But there’s far more than big names and concert halls, with a raft of fresh arts and education initiatives spreading across the emirate.
Speaking at yesterday’s launch at Emirates Palace, Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo – founder of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation which organises the festival – said: “Culture is an identity and mark of existence, and the Abu Dhabi Festival 2016 will pledge our commitment to culture. With the conflicts the world has witnessed, we are in dire need from the arts to unify the nations and build a brighter future for our coming generations.”
Festival Recital Series
Showcasing intimate appearances from rising soloists from across the globe, the stand-alone Festival Recital Series will return for a second year – but this time things are getting a little bit jazzy. Moving to New York University Abu Dhabi, the two-night series partners with New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Centre to host 12-year-old Indonesian prodigy Joey Alexander, who will perform a programme of standards and originals with his trio on April 27. A day later, the series partners with Quincy Jones Productions to host Grammy-nominated Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez.
Country of honour
The 2016 festival will pay tribute to France, which has been named ADF’s Country of Honour. As previously announced, the Orchestre de Paris will perform two programmes, including an opening night dedicated to French composers.
Speaking at the launch yesterday, the UAE Ambassador of France Michel Miraillet hailed the role of culture in the “fight against extremism”, and called the partnership with ADF a “source of pride, pleasure and joy.”
Off the stage
ADF 2016 will introduce a wide range of educational and outreach initiatives and family fun, encapsulating music, theatre, dance and visual arts events running for four weeks between April 3-20.
This includes Festival in the Park, hosted at Mushrif Park, while The Ministry of Science will engage younger audiences with attractions including a hovercraft and a human cannonball. There will also be opportunities for young performers to get involved at The UAE Theatre School, storytelling events hosted at nurseries across the Emirates, and a new series of debates to be hosted at NYUAD. More details will be announced in coming months. This year will also see a groundbreaking collaboration between ADF and the Emirates Fine Arts Society to establish The UAE Arts Archive, a new official historical resource for the country’s visual-arts sector.
Festival highlights
Natalie Dessay and Laurent Naouri in Recital (April 10)
The festival’s concert programme will launch with an intimate performance from this celebrity couple, who will make a regional debut performing classic (and distinctly French) vocal pieces by Fauré, Poulenc and Delibes, to mark the 125th year of the composer’s birth. See our interview with Dessay below.
Lang Lang (April 14)
The Chinese superstar pianist – who has played to billions at the Beijing Olympics, appeared onstage with Metallica and Pharrell, and signed the kind of multi-million-dollar recording deal unprecedented for a classical musician – is sometimes described as a “rock star” of the genre. Here, Lang Lang is expected to perform solo the repertoire of his latest release, Live in Paris; Chopin’s four momentous Scherzi and Tchaikovsky’s overlooked mood cycle The Seasons.
Orchestra de Paris (April 15 and 17)
Led by music director Paavo Järvi, the first performance from this influential Parisian ensemble will present a fittingly French-only programme: Berlioz’s overture from Le Corsaire, Lalo’s Cello Concerto and Saint-Saëns’s Symphony No 3 (Organ Symphony). Virtuoso cellist Xavier Phillips will be the soloist for the Lalo, while Thierry Escaich will be at the organ keys, with both guests making their Middle Eastern debuts.
The second concert will present the UAE debut of award-winning Armenian violinist Sergey Khachatryan, performing Tchaikovsky’s dramatic Violin Concerto. The orchestra will also perform Sibelius’s Symphony No 2.
The Little Prince (April 21-22)
The debut work of Nicholas Lloyd Webber – son of Lord Andrew – this adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic novella caused shockwaves when it was unveiled in 2011. A musical concert co-authored by Lloyd Webber’s theatrical partner James D Reid, it tells the story of a lost pilot who, after crashing in the desert, encounters the titular young prince from a distant asteroid. Addressing the Abu Dhabi audience in a special video introduction, Lloyd Webber described the work as “immersive, meaningful and heartfelt”.
Carlos Acosta and Friends (April 25-26)
The Cuban sensation, once labelled the “greatest male dancer of his generation”, makes a regional debut with an all-star programme, featuring extracts from classics from his favourite works, including Swan Lake and La Sylphide.
• All concerts take place at Emirates Palace. Ticket go on sale today (with the exception of the Festival Recital series, which will soon be announced) from noon at www.ticketouttickets.com. See www.abudhabifestival.ae for more information
