The Abu Dhabi Festival is making an impression beyond the UAE.
In addition to an extensive programme of performances and exhibitions in the capital, the festival is simultaneously running an international calendar of cultural events, in the US and Europe.
The main offering of this year’s international outreach is the world premiere of dance production De Scheherazade a Yo, Carmen by flamenco star Maria Pages.
A joint project between Pages and Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, the show made its debut on Friday in the Spanish city, with four performances spanning a week.
The arresting production pays tribute to formidable women of literature and the stage, ranging from the title character of Bizet’s 19th-century opera Carmen to Scheherazade from the novel One Thousand and One Nights.
Personalities from Greek mythology make an appearance, too, such as the powerful sorceress Medea, in addition to the tragic housewife Yerma, the titular character of Spanish playwright Federico Lorca’s 1934 play.
Led by Pages and members from her youthful dance company, the characters are celebrated as much for their fierceness as their sensitivity.
Minimal and raw, the show's stark presentation encourages the audience to view the characters as women unburdened by societal conventions and speaking truth to power.
De Scheherazade a Yo, Carmen is brilliantly compelling.
The show has already received critical acclaim — with leading Spanish paper El Pais describing the opening night's show as "beautiful, hypnotic and has an overwhelming force" — ahead of the production embarking on a two-year world tour taking in Europe and South America. An Abu Dhabi show is not yet on the cards.
"A key mission for us is to create awareness about how beautiful flamenco can be and to share that Spanish heritage with the world," Pages tells The National.
“But at the same time this is generally challenging because it is getting harder to bring young audiences to the theatre because of the entertainment options they have.
"So to see the first show full of youth under 35 years was the most special part of the night. Their marvellous reaction is very encouraging as we go forward."
The global message of Abu Dhabi Festival
De Scheherazade a Yo, Carmen has some of the hallmarks of an Abu Dhabi Festival collaboration.
This includes a strong partnership with a formidable cultural organisation featuring seasoned international and regional artists tackling new ground within their respective craft.
Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, the festival’s artistic director and founder of its administering body, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, says the international programme serves a wider purpose.
“It is our contribution to cultural diplomacy,” she says.
“By partnering up with more than 35 of the greatest international institutions to create new works, commissions and productions, the festival opens doors for people both in Abu Dhabi and around the globe to discover the world’s greatest talents.”
These partnerships also feed into the UAE side of the festival, leading to more high-calibre shows being performed in Abu Dhabi, as well as masterclasses and workshops led by stars and industry leaders.
In Pages, the festival has found a forward-thinking collaborator.
Born in Seville, the dancer and choreographer built a four-decade career through which she is credited for fusing flamenco with elements of modern dance and theatre.
In addition to choreographing sequences for director Carlos Saura's celebrated trilogy of flamenco films (1983's Carmen, 1986's El Amor Brujo and 1995's Flamenco) Pages also teamed up with Riverdance to incorporate a flamenco section during their 1995 world tour.
Pages says the performers will embody Abu Dhabi's outward-looking ethos when De Scheherazade a Yo, Carmen hits the road later in the year.
“These kinds of partnerships are becoming rare and it really shows how Abu Dhabi, as a city as well as the festival, is really becoming a global centre for culture,” Pages says.
“This is already well known within the arts industry and when you become involved in a collaboration with the festival it is not only about the performance.
"It is also about being in line with the festival’s values and we hope to embody that with our performances.”
Abu Dhabi Festival's international programme in 2022 also includes the online release of Symphony #5, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and scored by Emirati composer Mohammed Fairouz.
Also coming up is Zigzag, a co-production by the American Ballet Theatre which premiered in 2021 and continues with a new season at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House from July 7.
Spain and the Arab world: a rich history
Ever since the inaugural Abu Dhabi Festival in 2004, Spain has played a major role in the event at home and abroad.
Spanish opera titans Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo played in the UAE in 2007 and 2013 respectively.
As well as the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the festival also signed a partnership with Madrid’s Teatro Real for a staging of Verdi’s opera Aida in October.
Such cultural contributions have led to Alkhamis-Kanoo being awarded The Commander of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic by the former king of Spain Juan Carlos in 2016.
“With Spain we share values of innovation, creation and respect,” Kanoo says.
“Spain and the Arab world share a cultural history that dates back to the 9th century from the time of Ziryab who revolutionised music by introducing the oud to Spain and Europe and who established the first conservatoire in the world, teaching its students harmony and composition.”
This is an aspect not lost on El Arbi El Harti, the Moroccan-Spanish playwright and lyricist of De Scheherazade a Yo, Carmen.
He tells The National that many forms of Spanish music and dance are borne from the marriage of Arabic and rural Spanish culture.
“It is very dynamic because you have the Arabs who remained in the Spanish peninsula after their expulsion by the Catholic Spanish kings,” he says.
“They found themselves amid the Spanish rural communities and it is their mix of high Arabic culture with the popular rural Spanish class that saw the arts in Spain evolve.
“I can say without doubt that the evolution of flamenco has an Arabic influence fundamentally.”
Alkhamis-Kanoo hopes to inspire such realisations by taking the Abu Dhabi Festival global.
“We do want to be a beacon of knowledge and platform for artistic innovation and cultural expression,” she says.
“It is not only important, but imperative that we present new productions globally, because their message will remain for humanity, inspiring new generations to look beyond our differences and come together in mutual understanding and respect.”
More information about the Abu Dhabi Festival is available at abudhabifestival.ae
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More from Armen Sarkissian
Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
Winner: Miller’s House, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Kanood, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gervais, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Important Mission, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
Brief scores:
Liverpool 3
Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'
Manchester United 1
Lingard 33'
Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)
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
What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women & the Food That Tells Their Stories
Laura Shapiro
Fourth Estate
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
Facebook | Our website | Instagram
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs: 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5
Price, base: Dh183,900 / Dh249,000
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder / 3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,600rpm / 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
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The%20specs
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
DUBAI WORLD CUP RACE CARD
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Well Of Wisdom
7.05pm Summrghand
7.40pm Laser Show
8.15pm Angel Alexander
8.50pm Benbatl
9.25pm Art Du Val
10pm: Beyond Reason
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed | $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) Conditions | $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
