Classical fans can enjoy a British cultural tradition at Dubai Opera this week at BBC Proms Dubai. Courtesy BBC Proms Dubai.
Classical fans can enjoy a British cultural tradition at Dubai Opera this week at BBC Proms Dubai. Courtesy BBC Proms Dubai.

Your guide to the BBC Proms in the UAE



This week sees the United Kingdom’s largest classical music institution, the BBC Proms, land in town for six very different concerts over four nights at Dubai Opera.

Affectionately known simply as The Proms, the historic event marks only the second time the festival has been exported abroad in its 112-year history, following last year’s BBC Proms Australia, which means while the concept is a beloved household name to Brits, much of the UAE population might be at a loss about what to expect. So let’s bring you up to speed.

Everyone gets involved

The series has been remarkably successful in its aim of democratising the typically-snobby realm of classical music, while the sheer volume of concerts means there’s space for a far broader-than-typical repertoire to be represented, offering listeners the chance to hear rarely-performed and modern works. The reach is astounding – in the UK, all concerts are broadcast live on radio, and many on television. Czech conductor Jiří Bělohlávek – who has conducted the iconic “Last Night” three times – famously described the Proms as “the world’s largest and most democratic musical festival”.

Classical music for the masses

Originally founded in 1895, the word “prom” is short for promenade concert, an early attempt at demystifying highbrow concert hall music by hosting orchestras in large outdoor spaces where listeners would be invited to stroll casually around. Perfect if the weather holds. Founded by Robert Newman, the BBC first took over the Proms following the impresario’s death in 1927. However the series’ official title, still found on tickets today, is the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, in honour of the programmer who conducted The Proms for nearly 50 years until his death in 1943.

Have you heard about Last Night?

At home, the Last Night of the Proms is a kind of annual national spectacle which sits somewhere between the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day and Sunday night at Glastonbury. The rousing closing night show typically features jingoistic anthems including Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 and Thomas Arne's Rule, Britannia! It all gets a little bit nauseatingly patriotic, with flags, balloons and fancy dress commonplace among Prommers, whose revelry is broadcast into millions of homes in Britain and beyond.

The programme

The Proms will mark the UAE debut of the world-renowned BBC Symphony Orchestra, which presents three bravely diverse programmes celebrating both the ensemble’s national heritage and the city it is visiting.

The opening First Night of the Proms tonight, will showcase three leading British modern composers – Gary Carpenter's orchestral showpiece Dadaville, William Walton's passionate Symphony No. 1 in B flat minor and Benjamin Britten's Piano Concerto – alongside Mohammed Fairouz's tone poem Pax Universalis, marking the first time a major orchestral work has been staged in the Emirati composer's hometown.

Tomorrow will bring the regional premiere of the BBC Singers for Prom Two, who present a programme pairing established English masterpieces – including Hubert Parry's Songs of Farewell and a spread of choral works by Michael Tippett – alongside contemporary compositions from Joanna Marsh and Fairouz.

The orchestra's second appearance – at Prom Three on Thursday – meanwhile serves up the world premiere of Dubai-based British composer Joanna Marsh's Flare, alongside favourites including Mozart's renowned Piano Concerto No. 20 and Edward Elgar's virtuosic Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma).

Not everything will be on a classical tip, however. Genres will collide at a special Late Night Prom on Thursday, from the small ensemble Joseph Tawadros Quartet which – led by the leader’s oud, supported by piano, double bass and percussion – offers a vibrant fusion of Arabic modal systems and western traditions from classical to rock.

On Friday, the BBC Singers are back for a matinee programme celebrating voices from the British Isles, ranging from Charles Stanford's Three Motets to traditional folk songs.

The big finish

All of the above performers will be invited back for Dubai Opera’s take on the renowned Last Night of the Proms closing spectacle, on Friday.

The BBC Symphony will weigh in with crowd-pleasers including Shostakovich's uplifting Festive Overture and Debussy's impressionistic masterpiece La Mer, while soloist Benjamin Grosvenor performs Saint-Saëns's Concerto No. 2 in G Minor.

The BBC Singers will be back for Handel's most popular anthem, Zadok the Priest, while oud virtuoso Tawadros will also return for the world premiere of a new work. And yes, things close with the traditional bang of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 and Arne's Rule, Britannia. Elgar, Arne and you can probably bank on the traditional audience encore singalong of Auld Lang Syne.

• For more information and tickets see www.dubaiopera.com

rgarratt@thenational.ae

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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Price: From Dh2,099

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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Habib El Qalb

Assi Al Hallani

(Rotana)

The chef's advice

Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.

“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”

Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.

The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.

 

 

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Scores in brief:

  • New Medical Centre 129-5 in 17 overs bt Zayed Cricket Academy 125-6 in 20 overs.
  • William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana 188-8 in 20 overs bt One Stop Tourism 184-8 in 20 overs
  • Alubond Tigers 138-7 in 20 overs bt United Bank Limited 132-7 in 20 overs
  • Multiplex 142-6 in 17 overs bt Xconcepts Automobili 140 all out in 20 overs
Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

MATCH INFO

League Cup, last 16

Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)

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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match details

Wales v Hungary

Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

  1. Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate. 
  2. Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc. 
  3. Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway. 
  4. Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
  5. Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
MATCH INFO

Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)

Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm

Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm

ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.