When the Berlin Philharmonic Quintet performs Franz Schubert’s Notturno at Manarat Al Saadiyat on Saturday and Sunday, the score and setting will be apt.
In fact, in many ways, the sense of gentle discovery and progress imbued in the Austrian composer's celebrated work encapsulates the mission of hosts Abu Dhabi Classics.
Beginning this weekend, the enduring classical music concert series is celebrating its 15th anniversary, inviting some of the world’s leading orchestras, soloists and conductors for concerts at the emirate’s cultural landmarks.
On October 12, London’s Royal Ballet principal ballerina Natalia Osipova graces the stage of Emirates Palace.
The hotel's auditorium is also the setting for a November 3 concert by the UK's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Canadian-American violinist Timothy Chooi as guest soloist.
Full-throttle pieces from the scores of Hollywood blockbusters, including The Avengers and Fast X, will be heard in a November 4 open-air concert under the baton of US film composer Brian Tyler and the aforementioned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
This is only the opening suite of performances, says Ronald Perlwitz, head of the music programme at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.
More Abu Dhabi Classics shows will be announced for the emirate, including performances at Al Ain’s Al Jahili Fort.
In addition to the big names and sold-out concerts, Perlwitz judges the progress of the series by phone calls and emails.
“When I joined in 2014, Abu Dhabi Classics was already being noted in classical musical circles as one that is growing and with so much potential,” he tells The National.
“But we still need to do some explaining at times about who we are. Music agents, by their nature, don’t want to send their artists to an unfamiliar place.
“And classical music artists are very particular about where they are playing.
“Once they understand what we are all trying to achieve here, not only as Abu Dhabi Classics, but Abu Dhabi itself as a cultural destination, they get excited and then leave after the show wanting to come back.
“Now the conversations with agents are much smoother and straightforward.”
Indeed, Abu Dhabi Classics has staged repeat performances – albeit with new repertoires – over the years, including Spanish composer Jordi Savall and Chinese superstar pianist Lang Lang.
The latter performed a set at Louvre Abu Dhabi last year.
More than the audience wow factor, these experiences are not lost on the performers themselves.
Michael Seal, associate conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, has vivid memories of leading the ensemble for two Abu Dhabi Classics shows in 2014 at the Abu Dhabi Corniche and Al Jahili Fort.
"We performed on a floating stage and there was a yacht race [Volvo Ocean Race] going on and it was a brilliant experience with a really great crowd. Then we all went on this long trip to Al Ain through the desert,” he tells The National.
“There is a lot of talk about the importance of such cultural exposure from an audience point of view, but in terms of us as musicians it is also invaluable.
“I will give you an example, during a rehearsal in Abu Dhabi we were kindly asked to stop for a few minutes because the call for prayer was happening.
“It made us appreciate the culture and gave us a deeper understanding of the UAE.”
French pianist David Fray, who made the first of three appearances at Abu Dhabi Classics in 2015, views his solo recitals and orchestral performances as a form of cultural exchange.
“It was my first exposure to the Middle East and that was an experience I still cherish to this day,” he says.
"Abu Dhabi Classics is a crossing of different cultures and there is a lot to benefit from as an audience and musicians.”
Abu Dhabi Classics is also a talent incubator for Emirati artists.
Baritone singer Ahmed Al Hosani performed one of his biggest concerts to date in 2021, singing the works of popular French singers Claude Francois and Jacques Revaux and Lebanon’s Melhem Barakat while accompanied by the UAE's NSO Chamber Orchestra.
Emirati ballerina Alia Al Neyadi took the stage in 2018, dancing alongside celebrity soloists Ivan Vasiliev and Maria Vinogradova from the Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theatre at Emirates Palace.
Al Neyadi now lends her talent behind the scenes alongside Perlwitz in leading DCT Abu Dhabi’s music programme.
"The whole idea of Abu Dhabi Classics is that it is a cultural dialogue between East and West," she tells The National.
"It does send a very strong message that it is important for Emirati artists to have this opportunity and join these great international artists.
“It's also vice versa in that these artists need to know we have great talent here in the UAE and through collaboration we can create opportunities for Emirati artists they wouldn’t have before.”
That message reverberated internationally with Abu Dhabi's 2021 designation as a Unesco City of Music, a network of international cities recognised by the UN agency as cultural centres.
Perlwitz says Abu Dhabi Classics, alongside many of the emirate's cultural institutions – such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, music institute Berklee Abu Dhabi and the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre – played in unison to make that achievement happen.
That status is also a beginning rather than a final note
“Abu Dhabi being called a city of music is more a promise to the future than an award. We will all keep working hard and develop the music scene," Perlwitz says.
"And Abu Dhabi Classics will continue to play an important part in the piece."
Tickets for Abu Dhabi Classics shows are available on ticketmaster.ae
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Wallabies
Updated team: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Dane Haylett-Petty, 13-Reece Hodge, 12-Matt Toomua, 11-Marika Koroibete, 10-Kurtley Beale, 9-Will Genia, 8-Pete Samu, 7-Michael Hooper (captain), 6-Lukhan Tui, 5-Adam Coleman, 4-Rory Arnold, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16-Folau Faingaa, 17-Tom Robertson, 18-Taniela Tupou, 19-Izack Rodda, 20-Ned Hanigan, 21-Joe Powell, 22-Bernard Foley, 23-Jack Maddocks.
RESULTS
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
SUZUME
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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Dunki
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The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
