Tales of unforgettable romance and powerful drama, expressed as timeless masterpieces by Mozart, Bizet, Puccini and Verdi, will be told in celebration of Italy's national day.
The Italian Opera Recital to be held tomorrow at the First Group Theatre, Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, will be hosted by the Italian Embassy and the Italian Industry and Commerce Office, UAE, and will feature international artists.
Magic awaits
Some of the most famous arias from works including Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's La Bohème and Verdi's Rigoletto will be interpreted by artists such as the Dubai-based soprano Monica De Rosa McKay.
McKay, who boasts the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti as a mentor, says: "The audience will enjoy a magical evening of wonderful singing and music." She will be joined by the baritone Giuseppe Deligia, from the Royal Opera House Muscat and the Moldavian pianists Vitali Mihailiuc and Larisa Capatina.
"Opera and Italy are one and the same thing," says McKay. "Celebrating our national day with opera is like putting on a display of one of the most beautiful parts of our musical culture."
Starting with the 18th century and Mozart, different periods of music will be explored. "There are specific melodies in opera that are immortal in that even centuries after being written, they continue to live on," says McKay.
It was during her studies at the Conservatory in Bologna, Italy, that McKay got to work with Pavarotti, whom she credits as guiding her artistic journey. "The most important thing I learnt from the maestro was humility. Even though he was one of the greatest tenors who ever lived, he still was so accessible and easy to speak to," she says.
The Talent
Giuseppe Deligia, who has been involved with the management of the Royal Opera House Muscat since its inaugural season, says opera is a "wonderfully expressive art form" that deals with the full extent of the human condition.
"People love, laugh, fight and die - it was the soap opera and pop music of its day. The breadth of the repertoire is vast so there's something for everyone," Deligia says. "It's exciting to present this kind of programme here in Dubai and I hope we'll be able to introduce this wonderful music to a new audience."
Vitali Mihailiuc and Larisa Capatina, who are also based in Dubai, will also perform piano duos such as the Overture from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Pasquale from Bizet's Carmen.
Support
Professor Alessandra Priante, the Italian cultural attaché of the Gulf area, will be presenting and narrating the recital. "Opera is a great means of communication," she says. "It was the movies of the times.
"This will be a complex and beautiful portrayal of our culture through the unforgettable arias of some outstanding opera masterpieces, all executed through and with the passion and emotions of Monica's voice together with Giuseppe Deligia."
McKay stresses such official support is fundamental in promoting cultural awareness. "I think this is perfectly aligned with Sheikh Mohammed's wish to support opera, as he has recently launched the proposal to build a new opera house in Dubai, so this will serve as a cultural bridge between Italy and the UAE."
The Emirati fashion designer Afra Al Abdulla, who studied at Istituto di Moda Burgo in Milan, will design the costumes for the event.
"Afra has designed some amazing dresses for my previous concerts - and the costumes for La Traviata last November were unbelievable," says McKay.
The costumes are an integral aspect of any opera, she says, as they help create atmosphere and add greatly to the experience.
The Italian Opera Recital begins at 8:30pm tomorrow at the First Group Theatre, Madinat Jumeirah followed by a VIP cocktail reception at Segreto Lounge. Tickets cost Dh150 balcony, Dh160 regular stalls and Dh250 for VIP which includes the cocktail reception, and are available through Madinat Theatre Box Office and Time Out Tickets. Visit www.madinattheatre.com
RESULTS
ATP China Open
G Dimitrov (BUL x3) bt R Bautista Agut (ESP x5)
7-6, 4-6, 6-2
R Nadal (ESP x1) bt J Isner (USA x6)
6-4, 7-6
WTA China Open
S Halep (ROU x2) bt D Kasatkina (RUS)
6-2, 6-1
J Ostapenko (LAT x9) bt S Cirstea (ROU)
6-4, 6-4
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D Schwartzman (ARG x8) bt S Johnson (USA)
6-0, 7-5
D Goffin (BEL x4) bt R Gasquet (FRA)
7-5, 6-2
M Cilic (CRO x1) bt R Harrison (USA)
6-2, 6-0
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
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Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
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Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
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Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
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Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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