The opening of the Dubai Opera on Wednesday will be music to the ears of many people. The programme for the next few months is eclectic: there is traditional opera, of course, with concerts by Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, and a production of Bizet's The Pearl Fishers. And, in common with opera venues around the world, there will be a good helping of musical theatre, notably Les Misérables and West Side Story, ballet, children's shows and world music.
It will take some time for the venue managers and promoters to find out exactly what it is that UAE audiences want. Will it be more West End and Broadway hits, or will there be room for local and regional talent to bloom? Or a bit of everything?
Dubai now has the space to allow wonderful things to happen. Rather than just fill a void, let’s hope it takes audiences and artists into exciting new directions. The Opera, is after all, a building made of hard materials. The challenge is to fill it with experiences that will make our hearts and minds sing.
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
