Mozart opera for Al Ain

Al Ain Classics Festival will celebrate its tenth anniversary next month with a diversified programme featuring leading Arab and international artists.

Highlights will include performances by Lebanese singer Majida AI Roumi and Mozart's opera La Finta Giardiniera. Abdullah Al Ameri, Director of Arts and Culture at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach), said the programme was designed to integrate Arab and Western musical traditions.

Also on the schedule is the UAE debut of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, led by young British star conductor Daniel Harding and Turkish pianist Fazil Say. Salzburg's Mozarteum Orchestra, led by conductor David Atkham, will perform works by Mozart and Schumann with Palestine pianist Saleem Abboud Ashkar.

French conductor Guillaume Tourniaire has adapted La Finta Giardiniera especially adapted for the festival. The opera – the title means The Pretend Garden Girl – will feature a renowned Italian cast.

"The text will be sung in the original Italian but an Arabic actor will introduce the plot in Arabic and we will have Arabic subtitles, all in collaboration with Kalima, Adach's translation initiative," said Al Ameri.

"This will make the opera fully accessible to local and expatriate music lovers," he said.

Ukranian-born pianist Valentina Lisitsa will perform a piano recital celebrating the anniversaries of Schumann and Chopin.

The closing performance is by Venice's historic Teatro La Fenice opera house.

The festival runs from March 3 to April 17.

Tickets are available at timeouttickets.com and Virgin Megastores.

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