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Curtain Rises On 6th Abu Dhabi Music And Arts Festival This Weekend


Abu Dhabi set to host a feast of culture for the festival’s sixth consecutive year










Abu Dhabi will take centre stage this weekend as the curtain rises on the 6th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival. The exceptional festival line-up was today previewed by organisers, the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF). Attending the press conference on behalf of the artists and performers were the most gifted opera singer of our time, Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu, who will be part of a special Opera Gala that opens the festival this weekend; oud virtuoso, Naseer Shamma who will perform with World Music Award winner Tunisian singer Latifa; and Dia Al Azzawi, one of the most recognisable and collected contemporary Arabic artists, whose work features in the visual arts element of the Festival. Held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Festival begins on 21 March and runs until 2 April 2009, primarily hosted at the Emirates Palace. The Festival will feature a varied programme of ballet, opera, classical and Arabic music, a visual arts component, a strong educational programme and a community programme reaching across all the Emirates under the theme of ‘Bilad al Khair’ or ‘land of blessings’. The 6th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival is presented by ADMAF with executive producer IMG Artists, the world’s leading performing artist management company. The Festival is supported by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), the title sponsor of the Festival, and sponsored by Mubadala and Etihad Airways. This year’s Festival is also the first to involve collaboration with Flash Entertainment who, together with ADMAF, is bringing Andrea Bocelli to Abu Dhabi for the first time. Commenting on her participation in the 6th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival, Angela Gheorghiu said: “It is very exciting to be here in Abu Dhabi and to have the opportunity of opening the wonderful Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival as part of the Opera Gala. I am very much looking forward to sharing the stage with Jonas Kaufmann, the talented German tenor with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra under the direction of Ion Marin.” Dia Al Azzawi added: “It is a great honour to be invited to exhibit at the 6th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival, one of the region’s most important cultural events. The works I am bringing are some of the most important pieces in my career so far. Much like the Festival itself, my pieces bring together influences from across the Arab world as well as the West.” Naseer Shamma, also present, added: "It is wonderful to return to Abu Dhabi for my sixth year as part of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival. Abu Dhabi is on an extraordinary journey of cultural development as it establishes itself as a centre of arts and music in the region and it is a pleasure to be a part of that and perform as part of this fantastic line-up of Arabic and Western artists.” The Festival is an integral part of ADMAF’s year-long efforts to complement Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision. The Festival aims to feature Abu Dhabi as a prominent cultural destination, while promoting the unique role of music and arts in cultural cooperation. Mrs Hoda I. Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, comments: “Now we are at the eve of the Festival, we are very excited about the feast of music and arts that Abu Dhabi will witness over the coming two weeks. This is undoubtedly our most inspiring programme of international artists to date and each year we grow from strength to strength. But as important to us is the programme of educational and community activities, which are set to take place across the nation. Developing culture from within the UAE is a founding principle of ADMAF and we hope that these activities will inspire the next generation to great artistic achievement and appreciation.”

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