There's never a bad time for a little pick-me-up, particularly amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
And that is just what one of the capital’s most enduring ensembles aims to do with a virtual concert on Friday, June 26.
After Covid-19 forced the Abu Dhabi Choral Group to shelve its planned Young Frankenstein performance at the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre this month, the collective will instead take their talents online to deliver a set of fresh new tunes.
Well, that is not exactly accurate. The Quarantania Mania Virtual Concert, which will be streamed on the arts centre's Facebook page from 8pm, will be full of puntastic takes of old and modern show classics that speak to our present times.
This means I Can Go the Distance from Hercules will be switched to I Can Social Distance, while the Frozen favourite Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? has been adjusted to Do You Wanna Have a Pool Day?
"The group had to come up with an alternative way to express creativity and bring joy into the homes of their friends, families and fans,” said member Cathryn Downing.
“All numbers were written by the members themselves and will take you on the emotional journey associated with being in quarantine. You will sometimes laugh, sometimes cry, and always identify with all the emotions on display.”
Formed in 1977, the Abu Dhabi Choral Group has long provided an outlet for residents wishing to express their vocal talents. With more than 50 performers comprising 15 different nationalities, the ensemble has kept an active performance schedule over the years, with shows including The Addams Family (2016), Legally Blonde The Musical (2015), Curtains (2014) and The Wedding Singer (2013).
With their latest production, Young Frankenstein, meant to mark the end of the now-scrapped performance season for the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre, artistic director Bill Bragin said the virtual concert continues both the ensemble's and the organisation's mission to bring entertainment and culture to the capital.
“In the spirit of ‘the show must go on', we invited them to come up with another approach to bring the talent and creativity of our friends and neighbours to the public,” he said.
“The Abu Dhabi Choral Group has come up with a playfully charming new approach to keep us all connected.”
For more information, visit www.nyuad-artscenter.org
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 BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
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
ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
