Luiza Formenius's track 'Parla Piu' has been viewed more than half a million times on YouTube. Photo: Luiza Formenius
Luiza Formenius's track 'Parla Piu' has been viewed more than half a million times on YouTube. Photo: Luiza Formenius
Luiza Formenius's track 'Parla Piu' has been viewed more than half a million times on YouTube. Photo: Luiza Formenius
Luiza Formenius's track 'Parla Piu' has been viewed more than half a million times on YouTube. Photo: Luiza Formenius

Soprano Luiza Formenius aims to modernise opera with her take on 'The Godfather' theme


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

An operatic take on a film classic is making waves online.

Parla Piu, a cover of the theme song of 1974 Oscar-winning film The Godfather by soprano Luiza Formenius, has amassed nearly half a million views on YouTube within a week.

With Formenius’s silky vocals backed by a throbbing dance beat, the track also comes with an eye-catching music video, which was shot in Al Madam in Sharjah, a location known for its “Ghost Village”, an abandoned area near the Dubai border.

The feat marks the singer’s biggest triumph to date in a seasoned career that has spanned more than a decade in the UAE.

It also continues Formenius’s mission to recreate modern versions of current and 20th century classic tracks.

Parla Piu is the singer's fourth single, alongside a cover of La Vie En Rose by Edith Piaf and Rebel Bird, a version of the aria L'amour est un oiseau rebelle from George Bizet's 1875 opera Carmen.

Formenius, who lives in Dubai, tells The National she wants to reach a young audience of people who may be turned off by classical music.

“I do this to keep the music relevant in the future,” she says. "There is this battle between traditional and modernity when it comes to classical music and a lot of opera fans are traditionalists.

“Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with that because I love singing the classics, but we need to reach out to the next generation.

“By creating music that mixes both past and future styles, I can hopefully help them to understand the opera tradition.”

Her eclectic career has her well placed to be that guide.

Born in Stockholm to Indian and Romanian parents, she moved to Dubai as a child and grew up to immerse herself in the UAE’s nascent music scene.

Training to be a soprano at 13, she joined a music troupe called Dubai Divas, which has since disbanded, for a series of local shows, before performing musical standards and arias in large auditoriums as a guest of Abu Dhabi’s National Symphony Orchestra.

Formenius recalls these momentous events with a tinge of sadness as they weren’t fully shared by her peers. Being an opera-loving teenager in the UAE didn’t exactly make her popular at school.

"Studying opera wasn't the coolest thing to do, so most of my friends had no idea about what I was really doing," she says.

"They kind of thought that it was dorky and it was partly from there that I had this idea of eventually collaborating and working with artists from the popular music world."

In order to do that, she would sporadically return to her second home in Sweden to record with local talents such as Erik Lewander, who has also produced Parla Piu and Rebel Girl.

"The great thing about the whole collaboration was that I didn't really have to change the way I sing," she says.

"Even though I studied classically and the music is very modern, it all just felt very natural and not forced."

And this is the enduring hallmark of great songwriting.

The fact that songs such as Parla Piu, La Vie En Rose and Rebel Girl can still retain their power, despite being used and remixed ubiquitously for everything from ceremonies to commercials, demonstrates how classical music can still be part of popular conversation.

"What I am trying to do, in my own way, is to be some kind of bridge between these musical generations," Formenius says.

"Young people deserve a chance to really appreciate the beauty of the music if we are open enough to present in a way they are able to appreciate it.

“I am sure this can happen and will continue to do so."

24 concerts and events coming to Dubai, from Justin Bieber to Jo Koy and 'Romeo & Juliet' — in pictures

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday (UAE kick-off times)

Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)

Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)

West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)

Sunday

Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)

Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)

Everton v Liverpool (10pm)

Monday

Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)

Sam Smith

Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi

When: Saturday November 24

Rating: 4/5

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'My Son'

Director: Christian Carion

Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis

Rating: 2/5

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

What is a robo-adviser?

Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.

Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.

Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.

Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'

Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.

Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.

"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.

"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.

"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Polarised public

31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views

19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views

19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all

Source: YouGov

THE SPECS

Touareg Highline

Engine: 3.0-litre, V6

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power: 340hp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: Dh239,312

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.4-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E637Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh375%2C900%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ESSENTIALS

The flights 

Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes. 

Where to stay 

The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Dark Waters'

Directed by: Todd Haynes

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper 

Rating: ****

Updated: August 12, 2022, 9:38 AM