Sérgio Mendez will headline next year’s Abu Dhabi Festival.
The Brazilian musician will perform at Emirates Palace as part of the 12th edition of the event in March.
The renowned conductor Riccardo Muti will also be performing at the festival, leading Italy’s Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra. And the acclaimed violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will team up with the Italian orchestra for her own show.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, the festival is known for attracting high-calibre artists to make their debut in the region.
Bringing Mendez, Muti and Mutter to the capital is a real coup, says Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, the founder and artistic director of Abu Dhabi Festival.
“We are truly delighted to be welcoming these stunning artists as we further celebrate Abu Dhabi Festival’s pivotal role in nurturing cultural exchange and artistic innovation,” she says.
“By bringing the world to Abu Dhabi, we believe it is important to go beyond mere entertainment and demonstrate the transformative power of music, while reflecting the festival’s core values of mutual respect and tolerance.”
In his five-decade career, Mendez has been a trailblazer in the bossa nova genre, fusing it with jazz and funk.
At 71 he is still an active recording artist and has released more than 50 albums. His latest, Magic, was released last week.
Concert dates and the full line-up will be announced later in the year. Visit www.abudhabifestival.ae for more details.
sasaeed@thenational.ae
