The special 20th-anniversary edition of Abu Dhabi Festival is the region’s largest annual celebration of arts and culture and will see an impressive program encompassing music, theatre, dance, and the visual arts with some of the most renowned talents globally. The 2023 event celebrates two decades of the nation’s creative spirit with the theme ‘The Will for Evolution,’
Founding Honorary Patron of Abu Dhabi Festival, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the 20th edition of the Festival “serves as a platform for cultural dialogue and a bridge between East and West deeply rooted in the heritage of the UAE, leading the way in advancing cultural diplomacy efforts and strengthening the UAE’s international cultural presence.”
Her Excellency Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, Founder and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival, said: “We are delighted to inaugurate Abu Dhabi Festival’s 20th-anniversary celebration with a spectacular performance by opera star and internationally-renowned tenor Juan Diego Florez. In line with our twenty-year commitment to bringing the world’s most celebrated talents to Abu Dhabi, we are pleased to give audiences at home the opportunity to discover the incredible vocal range of the tenor of choice for leading opera houses around the globe.
Over the next 10 days, patrons and enthusiasts can enjoy some of the most sought after performers and performances across Abu Dhabi’s cultural scene.
- Friday, 10 March – De Scheherazade A Yo, Carmen by Maria Pages at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
- Saturday, 11 March – Gregory Porter at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
- Tuesday, 14 March – Bruce Liu (Recital Series at NYUAD Arts Center)
- Thursday, 16 March – Haochen Zhang (Recital Series at NYUAD Arts Center)
- Friday, 17 March – From West to East: A Classical Odyssey conducted by Tan Dun featuring cellist Jian Wang at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
- Saturday, 18 March – Buddha Passion by Tan Dun at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
- Sunday, 19 March – Pearl’s Diver’s Daughter at Cultural Foundation
- Monday, 20 March – Leia Zhu (Recital Series at NYUAD Arts Center)
Additional information and tickets can be found here.
H.E. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan and H.E. Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo with Juan Diego Flórez
