ABU DHABI // In an age of mega concerts and packed amphitheatres, a "touring chamber music hall" designed by the architecture firm behind the Sheikh Zayed Bridge is ready to be assembled again in the emirate to host intimate performances.
Co-commissioned by Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf), the transportable JS Bach/Zaha Hadid Architects Chamber Music Hall is to be assembled for next year's Abu Dhabi Festival.
The pieces for the portable pavilion, including 200 seats, are already in the country in two shipping containers, having been set up previously for last July's Manchester International Festival and this summer's Holland Festival.
The idea was to create a performance space that harked back to the days of Bach and classical chamber music, said Melodie Leung, the lead designer of the pavilion,
"It was very important that we bring that chamber music by Bach back into the environment it was meant to be performed in," she said from the London headquarters of Zaha Hadid Architects. "For commercial reasons, these days you have a big concert hall, but we wanted to get that intimate salon-like atmosphere into a contemporary vision."
Marilyne Morin, a spokesman for Admaf, said the portable concert venue would probably be set up for the Abu Dhabi Festival by March. The 2011 festival is to run from March 19 to April 5.
A curvaceous translucent ribbon made from light fabric swirls around the hall, creating layered spaces and enhancing acoustics. The idea, Ms Leung said, was that the larger room would seem to "fade away" to the audience and the performers.
At one point, the ribbon merges with the stage. At its most compressed, it is the size of a handrail. Sound reflectors are also hidden within the fabric of the hall's installation.
"You still feel there's an interior to it when you're inside the ribbon to give people the feeling that they're being cocooned within this really intimate space," Ms Leung said.
The concert hall project was commissioned in partnership by the Manchester International Festival, the Holland Festival and Admaf in 2009.
At the 2009 Manchester festival, Admaf took part in Hakawati, a traditional Arabic storytelling event, with a performance by Alia al Zoughbi in the temporary concert hall.
[ mkwong@thenational.ae ]
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THE HOLDOVERS
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Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa
Rating: 4.5/5
Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
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MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
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Director: Paul Weitz
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3/5 stars
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
Disturbing facts and figures
51% of parents in the UAE feel like they are failing within the first year of parenthood
57% vs 43% is the number of mothers versus the number of fathers who feel they’re failing
28% of parents believe social media adds to the pressure they feel to be perfect
55% of parents cannot relate to parenting images on social media
67% of parents wish there were more honest representations of parenting on social media
53% of parents admit they put on a brave face rather than being honest due to fear of judgment
Source: YouGov
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
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Based: Abu Dhabi
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TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
ABU DHABI'S KEY TOURISM GOALS: BY THE NUMBERS
By 2030, Abu Dhabi aims to achieve:
• 39.3 million visitors, nearly 64% up from 2023
• Dh90 billion contribution to GDP, about 84% more than Dh49 billion in 2023
• 178,000 new jobs, bringing the total to about 366,000
• 52,000 hotel rooms, up 53% from 34,000 in 2023
• 7.2 million international visitors, almost 90% higher compared to 2023's 3.8 million
• 3.9 international overnight hotel stays, 22% more from 3.2 nights in 2023
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
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EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE
Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)
Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1
Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)
Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)
Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)
Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)
Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)
Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)
Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)
Source: Emirates
Bridgerton season three - part one
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Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Jonathan Bailey
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