Voted the world’s best orchestra just two years ago, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam makes its Abu Dhabi debut next month, according to Emirates247.com.
The ensemble performs in the Emirates as part of the third season of Abu Dhabi Classics, Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, director general of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, said on Tuesday.
Its bill also features the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Staatskapelle Berlin, and conductors Sir Simon Rattle and Daniel Barenboim, as well as the cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who will play Al Ain.
The event opens on Wednesday, October 6 at the Emirates Palace Auditorium, and continues the Abu Dhabi Classics Mahler cycle, which has already presented Symphony No2 with Zubin Mehta and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Symphony No 1 with the New York Philharmonic and Alan Gilbert.
On Tuesday, November 9 the Berlin Philharmonic’s returns to the Arab world for the first time since it performed in Tehran in 1975 under the baton of the legendary Herbert von Karajan. Exactly 35 years later, it comes to Abu Dhabi with Sir Simon Rattle at the helm.
Abu Dhabi Classics will continue its association with the Al Ain Classics, taking place in early March. Highlights include concerts with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, one of Italy’s leading symphony orchestras under the direction of chief conductor Juraj Valcuha, featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma in Dvorak’s cello concerto.
On March 5, Yo-Yo Ma will give a cello recital at the Courtyard of the Al Jahili Fort.
And April will see the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice from Venice returns with the glamorous opera gala featuring Giaocchino Rossini’s “Barbiere di Siviglia” – or the Barber of Seville.
The closing concert of the 2010/2011 season marks a journey from New York’s Broadway to Hollywood. Keith Lockhart, chief conductor of the London’s BBC Concert Orchestra will present highlights from movies, musicals and special guests.
As pre-opening event of the 2010/2011 season, ADACH and Abu Dhabi Classics present the Abu Dhabi Classics Run on September 29, 30 and October 1 at the Corniche. It is classical music and health awareness charity event that challenges the time it takes Beethoven’s 5th Symphony to be played. Proceeds from the event will go towards Abu Dhabi Classics music education and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City diabetes prevention programmes.