On, Friday, January 16, the World Classical Music Series celebrates a significant milestone – a year of bringing quality international performers to the UAE.
The Emirates may not traditionally be known as a hotbed for classical music, but things have improved significantly in recent years – not least with the recent return of the Abu Dhabi Classics after a three-year absence.
A fair portion of the credit can go to the World Classical Music Series, which also celebrates the launch of a new season tomorrow in Dubai.
During the past 12 months, nine significant classical concerts have been hosted at the One&Only Royal Mirage – Friday’s performance from chamber quintet Spirit of Vienna will mark the 10th concert of the series.
The World Classical Music Series was founded as a partnership between the Dubai Concert Committee (which previously hosted monthly events at Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre) and promoters M Premiere, best known for hosting international pop gigs.
“In Dubai you can hear pop, rock, trance, thrash – every type of music but classical music,” says Ravshan Abdullayev, M Premiere’s marketing manager. “We decided to make something new and unique in Dubai. People are bored of hearing Madonna and Justin Bieber – they want something more.”
This “new” idea was clearly a good one, with the series selling out all 400 tickets every month.
As the season kicks off, we look at what is in store from the World Classical Music Series in the first part of 2015 – start booking now.
Spirit of Vienna, January 16
The new season opens with the Austrian quintet who are performing under the banner Spirit of Vienna. The group comprises a string quartet augmented by a clarinet, with musicians from the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
They are dedicated to keeping alive the school of Viennese classicism that developed in the 18th century and the programme in Dubai will include a complete reading of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, plus works from Strauss, Lanner, Weber and Ziehrer.
Mikhail Petukhov, March 20
The pianist Mikhail Petukhov’s story is nearly as colourful as his distinguished playing. A child prodigy who began making concert appearances at the age of 10, he later studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he met the likes of Dmitri Shostakovich, Sviatoslav Richter and Emil Gilels.
But despite winning awards and being a prolific composer, Petukhov was forbidden from performing abroad for much of his early career because of the Soviet Union’s political situation. Now, however, he’s played on many of the world’s stages and performed with the best orchestras. He was even commended by the government as an Honoured Artist of Russia. Expect a genuine virtuoso behind the keys.
Jozsef Lendvay & Friends, April 17
The only act to be invited for a second appearance at the series so far, Hungarian violinist Lendvay is back by public demand. “People were begging for us to bring him again, they were so amazed,” says Abdullayev. “The audience had never heard anything like it.”
What amazed them was his ability to blend gypsy, folk and classical forms so seamlessly, with a highly interactive show that flies in the face of an audience’s expectations of a traditional string recital. His performance is backed by four “friends” who offer a suitably lively accompaniment to his pyrotechnics.
• All shows begin at 8pm at Dubai's One&Only Royal Mirage. Tickets from Dh250 are available on www.platinumlist.ae
rgarratt@thenational.ae
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
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Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
