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Welsh National Opera Orchestra sets Zabeel Park alight

Chinese conductor Xian Zhang took charge of proceedings with the highlights being Amjad Ali Khan’s traditional Indian folk music accompanied by more Western sounding instruments and a piece from the Georges Bizet opera Carmen.

For many, the Dubai Shopping Festival means only one thing: sales. Nothing gets people riled up quite like a bargain. However, in the midst of carting out your latest HDTV and washing machine, don’t forget the many events surrounding the consumerism. You may wish to take your purchases home first, instead of shuffling into theatre seats, carrying hundreds of plastic bags, but make sure you venture out and witness the numerous activities and festivities put on around the city.

Fireworks are, of course, de rigueur this time of year, so it was the Welsh National Opera Orchestra performing for free in Zabeel Park on New Year’s Day, which took my fancy.  75 classically trained musicians took to the stage, at points accompanied by Sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his two sons Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan, along with the renowned pianist Cecile Licad, to blow away the park’s packed amphitheatre. Ten movements including Dubai-based composer Joanna Marsh’s Kahayla, an allegorical piece about ambition and cultural pride and a tribute to the building of the Burj Khalifa, took the multi-cultural gathering’s collective breath away.

Chinese conductor Xian Zhang took charge of proceedings with the highlights being Amjad Ali Khan’s traditional Indian folk music accompanied by more Western sounding instruments and a piece from the Georges Bizet opera Carmen.

“I came here specifically for the orchestra. It is a great initiative to bring a world-class ensemble to the people. Usually, you would have to pay a lot, ” said Craig, a Dubai resident from London, who attended with his family.

The WNO Orchestra was held as part of the Etisalat Festive Park in Zabeel.

david@khaleejtimes.com