Saudi Arabia ushered itself into the opera world with the premiere of the lush production, Zarqa Al Yamama.
Performed yesterday at the redeveloped Sheikh Fahad Cultural Centre in Riyadh, it is touted as the first grand opera – a format defined by its serious plot and continuous music – staged in the kingdom.
The occasion was recognised by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah, who called the production “a celebration of Saudi intangible cultural heritage” in the programming notes.
Developed by Saudi Arabia’s Theatre and Performing Arts Commission, the work features an international cast led by English opera star Sarah Connolly, Italian soprano Serena Farnocchia and Saudi singer Sawsan Al Bahiti.
Written by Saudi Arabian playwright Saleh Zamanan, the nearly two-and-a-half-hour production is performed entirely in Arabic and is based on a pre-Islamic Arabian story about a woman blessed with foresight who unsuccessfully warns her tribe of imminent danger.
In a previous interview with The National, Connolly said the international cast members took intensive Arabic classes to nail their vocals. The Riyadh season ends on May 4, with plans to tour the production regionally and internationally.
When that transpires, new audiences will have a lot to take in as Zarqa Al Yamama is an ambitious and, ultimately, affecting work echoing some of today’s concerns.
Set in the deserts of ancient Arabia, the story looks at how two powerful Arabian tribes, motivated by pride and grievance, ignore the advice of the title character to ultimately annihilate each other in battle.
As well as critiquing some of the sexism contributing to their demise, the work provides a timely reminder on the catastrophic consequences of ignoring sage advice in times of conflict.
Speaking to The National after the premiere, Al Bahiti, whose role as the bridesmaid serves as bearing witness to the ensuing war, says Zarqa Al Yamama is an apt choice as the kingdom’s first international opera production.
“It is an important story because of what Zarqa represents,” she says. “Here is a strong woman with powerful capabilities and has the foresight of being wise to warrant a leadership position. I do genuinely feel that this is what we are striving to do here in Saudi Arabia when it comes to the support of women, not only in the arts but across all sectors of society. I feel like I am a beneficiary of this already.”
Reportedly hailed as Saudi Arabia's first professional opera singer, it seems like Al Bahiti's moves have all been leading up to this moment.
With no opera conservatories available in the kingdom, she took private courses as a soloist before opening one of the kingdom’s first singing schools, The Soulful Voice Institute, in Riyadh in 2018. A year later she made her debut performance at the Sheikh Fahad Cultural Centre, accompanying the orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala Academy.
“I honestly believe in the power of manifestation and having a visual is always the first step in bringing something to life,” she says. “Then again, it's not only one person's job but that of a whole tribe. I feel that here in Saudi Arabia right now, the collective society decided that we want to go for this and the government has laid the foundation for us to achieve something so grand in such a quick time.”
Daniele Finzi Pasca says the time it took to execute the production is a testament to the drive of the Saudi talent and production crew. With the opera marking the first event held at the Sheikh Fahad Cultural Centre since closing for renovations in 2020, the veteran Swiss stage director and choreographer says some of the creative and technical rehearsals took place during the late hours of Ramadan.
“Everybody was working in unison. You had the people working to finish this amazing facility and we had the creative talent and crew also pushing to make this show the best it can be,” he says.
“This is special for me because I never felt this experience before of being part of something bigger, like some form of cultural revolution. And I see this in the eyes of the Saudi actors who were so incredible and full of enthusiasm. You can tell it was something very important for them.”
That hands-on approach extended to the Saudi singers acting as dialogue coaches for their international peers.
“I am one of four Arab speakers in the cast, so it felt personal for me to help all the international singers achieve the most correct Arabic when performing,” Al Bahiti says.
“While there are some general challenges with certain letters and pronunciation, I think our production proves how the Arabic language is rich enough to adapt to opera.”
Zamanan says it took him nearly two years to complete the libretto for Zarqa Al Yamama.
“The plan was always for this to be an international production that can tour in regions like Europe,” he says. “So, I spent a lot of time focused on editing some the longer text and making the story more direct and clear.”
Zarqa Al Yamana can resonate with international audiences, Zamanam notes, because it embodies the tragic and historical story elements long associated with grand operas.
“The heritage of the Arabian Peninsula is a gold mine that hasn't been explored yet in opera and it can be a platform to discuss important subjects,” he says.
“With Zarqa Al Yamama, we look at how hatred and pride can break people apart, how constant injustice can be brutalising to the human spirit and how its consequences can be so severe. We are talking about a really sad story but whose wisdom is needed now much more than ever.”
Zarqa Al Yamama runs until May 4 at the King Fahad Cultural Centre. The show starts at 8.30pm. Tickets are 100 Saudi riyals ($26) from visitsaudi.com
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
• Bloomberg
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.
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2-litre%204-cylinder%20petrol%20(V%20Class)%3B%20electric%20motor%20with%2060kW%20or%2090kW%20powerpack%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20233hp%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20204hp%20(EQV%2C%20best%20option)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20350Nm%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20TBA%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMid-2024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
more from Janine di Giovanni
