World's best orchestra to play Abu Dhabi

Voted the world’s best orchestra just two years ago, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam makes its Abu Dhabi debut next month.

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, where the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam and Italian conductor Daniele Gatti will ensure things get off to a fine start. The concert 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.

Launching the composer’s double-anniversary season under Maestro Daniele Gatti, a noted interpreter of Mahler’s works, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will perform the spectacular Fifth Symphony, an emotional roller-coaster that includes the lovely Adagietto for strings and harp, made famous in Visconti’s film “Death in Venice”.

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. A selection from Brahms will be performed.

Other programme highlights include Tchaikovsky’s Symphonies No4 and No5 with Daniel Barenboim in January 2011. Barenboim will also appear as soloist in a Mozart piano concerto while conducting his Staatskapelle Berlin.

Yo-Yo Ma, movies

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 performance in April will feature an exciting cast of young singers.

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.

Education and charity

Almost no orchestra will leave Abu Dhabi without contributing to the Abu Dhabi. Classics education programme. Performances that are especially designed for Abu Dhabi’s young generation and the highly successful series of Young People’s Concert will be continued by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin and the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice.

In addition to the evening concert on October 6, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will present a Young People’s Concert at the Emirates Palace Auditorium on Thursday October 7 at 11.30 am. Daniel Barenboim will explain Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No4. The Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice prepares a special opera for kids event.

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.

More information is available at www.abudhabiclassics.com