Abu Dhabi // A collection of the world's most talented classical musicians performed together at Emirates Palace last night, marking the first time the World Orchestra for Peace has performed in the Middle East.
The 76 musicians from 32 countries played famous compositions including Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, Rossini's William Tell Overture and Tchaikovsky's popular Fifth Symphony.
The 90-minute concert, hosted by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf), was the orchestra's 18th performance since its inception in 1995. It sold out within days of going on sale last month to just more than 1,000 people.
The orchestra was designated a Unesco Artist for Peace earlier this year. It is led by the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, one of the most sought after in the world.
Charles Kaye, the director and general manager of the orchestra, enhanced the musical statement made by bringing together musicians from such a large number of countries. The orchestra had only two days of rehearsal together.
"All of this music is not being played for money, they are here because they all believe in the idea of making music for peace, and you can see that in the harmony and the energy," he said. "Of course, this is very subjective, and not everyone will be moved, but we hope that most will be touched by the gesture."
The orchestra was founded by the late Hungarian-British conductor Sir Georg Solti. His wife, Valerie, said his colleagues were sceptical that bringing together musicians from around the world, with little time to practise, could produce a worthwhile concert.
"It was a gamble," she said just before the show. "His colleagues believed he was stupid, absolutely mad … and thought it must be an appalling sound."
When the orchestra first completed Rossini's William Tell Overture, she remembers that "he turned around and shouted, 'It works, you see!'"
One concertgoer, Shima Mehri, was moved to tears before the orchestra even began its performance. A former flautist with Iran's National Orchestra, she said the world needed more concerts dedicated to peace.
"This music needs to be heard around the world, and these efforts need to be spread through the sounds of those who believe in peace," she said.
The event marked Dr Gehad Asbaita's first orchestra concert. The chief executive of the Emirates Driving Company said he decided to attend because "it is a buffet of orchestras, with so many tastes and not just a reflection of one country's talents. Music is the purest sound of people."
Juergen Oelschlegel, a project manager for a development company, said he was impressed by the quality of the concert despite little time to rehearse together. "It's an amazing repertoire with smashing hits, the kind of music that brings an orchestra to life," he said.
"I just hope they perform not only in peaceful countries like this, but in countries where there is trouble, to spread the spirit of peace. This is what is most important and the core of the statement they are making."
econroy@thenational.ae
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