Under the slogan “United: Celebrating the Cultural Complex”, and a program of approximately 46 events distributed in 15 locations across the UAE, with the participation of more than 380 international artists and 19 composers from 11 countries, the activities of the seventeenth edition of the Abu Dhabi Festival 2020, during March And next April.

The founder and artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, Huda Ibrahim Al Khamis, said: “The celebration of the Cultural Park is more than a celebration of a restored historic building, a celebration of a pioneering vision presented by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. , For the nation, for the nation, and for the whole world, which is that culture, science, and enlightenment are the basic pillars of the renaissance of humanity ». She praised the legacy and impact of the Cultural Foundation, which, as the founding father wanted him, was an incubator for the launch of cultural institutions, a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences and consolidating dialogue, and the brilliance of artists and creators, 'she added during the press conference, which was held yesterday morning at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi: «In the corridors of the complex We work with love and ambition, cultivate the values ​​of goodness, construction and giving, invest in human education and knowledge, and embrace the talents of young people, working to achieve their dreams and adopt their ideas, together we walked in the journey of struggle with all our strength, and today, these young people are the fabric of the Renaissance we are witnessing, and a pillar Build a home .

Cultural cooperation

For his part, Stephen Bondi, Deputy Head of Mission at the US Embassy in the UAE, speaking at the conference on behalf of the US Ambassador to the UAE, expressed his delight at the participation of many prominent American artists at the festival this year, which contribute to the promotion of great cultural cooperation between The United States and the United Arab Emirates, which spans the festival's history, "are cultural diplomacy at its best, offering the best American arts to the public in the UAE." In a statement on this occasion, Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism, said: “The Department has a clear vision based on supporting and developing the cultural scene of the Emirate, and the Abu Dhabi Festival is a complement to these efforts, as it represents an important addition to enrich the cultural and artistic scene of the Emirate. . Over the years, we have witnessed the festival's achievements, becoming the region's premier music and performing arts event, in line with our vision to strengthen Abu Dhabi as a leading global destination, offering a full calendar of global activities and events that satisfy the local and international community. ” .

Emirati writer and poet Reem Al Menhali and Emirati artist and jewelry designer Noor Al Serkal, winner of the Abu Dhabi Culture and Arts Design Award, expressed their happiness and pride in participating in the festival, highlighting this participation and how it inspired their ideas.

Busy program

The main program of the festival this year includes 46 events in 15 locations across the UAE, with the participation of more than 380 international artists and 19 composers from 11 countries, offering three productions and joint commissioning work, four first-time performances in the Arab world, three first-time performances globally and two international tours. The festival is the first of its kind in the history of the production of the famous Wagner opera by the distinguished Canadian director, Francois Gerrard, directed by the great maestro Valerie Gergiev, and the participation of Sir Bryn Terfel and Anya Kambi, in the work of «Flying Dutch» in cooperation with the Dutch National Opera The Quebec Opera, in partnership with the Metropolitan Opera House, is the first collaboration of its kind in history with an Arab cultural institution, and one of the most prestigious international orchestras, the Cleveland Orchestra, is part of the festival's main program, led by artistic director Franz Wilser-Most and Raff. Brilliant baritone Sir Simon Kinleside, in her first appearance in the Arab world, and in the second screening of the festival joined by the famous cellist, formerly hosted by the festival, Yo Yo Ma, and the famous American ballet theater in New York also offers Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet over two nights in The third and fourth of April, accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra, in their first collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Festival.

International offers

The Abu Dhabi Festival continues to stimulate the efforts of cultural diplomacy and enhance the UAE and Arab presence globally. In partnership with more than 33 international strategic partners, a series of international initiatives, including performances by Arab artists around the world, will be held at the Pierre Poles Hall, 2019-2020. May Farouk, Waad Bouhssoun, Farida Mohamed Ali, Arab Oud Professor Naseer Shamma, Kanan Azma, Brooklyn Rider, joint work to celebrate the 250th birthday of the famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven, and the 210th anniversary of the birth of the famous composer Frederic Chopin, at the Beethoven Festival For international, in Warsaw, Poland, and the flamenco show from Scheherazade to U Carmen Maria Pajas in the opera «Dar Gran Taatr del Liceu», Barcelona, ​​jointly commissioned by the «Gran Taatr del Liceu» Festival of Abu Dhabi.

Festival Award

The Abu Dhabi Festival Award, as usual, in collaboration with Chopard, honors many creative symbols from various fields of expressive arts, presented this year to a group of pioneers of art and music from the Arab world and the world, namely: Norma Lerner, Honorary Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Orchestra, Chairman of the Lerner Foundation, Christo Javachev, a global artist who has performed many renowned environmental works, and Paloma O'Shea, founder and director of the Reina Sofia School of Music.

Huda Ibrahim Thursday:

"The celebration of the cultural complex is more than a celebration of a restored historic building, which represents a celebration of a pioneering vision, presented by Zayed, to the nation and the world."

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For the first time in the Arab world, 3 offers for the first time in the world and two international tours.