Throw Reason to the Wind this Season

Fall in love with classical music and German Romanticism when the Abu Dhabi Classics Season opens on 12 October—with profound emotion and infinite longing define the music that’s in the air.

The Abu Dhabi Classics season is back with a season full of masterful music selected to fill imaginations with cultural connections, Teutonic romanticism, and an international debut or two.

Newton’s third law in science says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and the same is true for art and music.

The Romantic movement in Germany, characterised by its interest in emotions, nature, and cross-cultural exchanges, was a direct reaction to the formality and austerity of age of reason, and this season of Abu Dhabi Classics season is dedicated to exploring the beautifully familiar music the Romantic period ushered in, such as Richard Wagner’s operatic rendition of The Valkyrie, Mozart’s violin concertos, Schubert’s sonatas.

“Classical music today is very international, and this season is certain to draw classical musical fans from around the world,” says Dr. Ronald Perlwitz, Head of Music, Arts Department, Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.

“German Romanticism was a period characterized by an intense interest in the exploration of emotions, cross-cultural exchange, and seeing oneself through the eyes of others. So, this season, we have selected a variety of performances that explore love and the beauty of music as well as the beauty of reinterpreted music.”

Dr. Perlwitz explains, “this season is very special for a first. It’s the first ever time that Germany’s legendary Bayreuth Festival has been held elsewhere, and with that comes access. Fans in Germany have been know to wait over seven years for tickets to this festival, while Abu Dhabi residents may have much easier access to the legendary performers and performances the festival attracts.

This year, the festival brings the international debut of Richard Wagner’s The Valkyrieunder the artistic direction of Katharina Wagner, great granddaughter of the renowned composer.This is not to miss.”

On 30 January and 1 February 2019 at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi Classics will host the unmissable highlight of the season, the Bayreuth Festival’sinternational opera debut of Richard Wagner’s The Valkyrie, under the artistic direction of Katharina Wagner, the great granddaughter of the renowned composer.

The production will include a feature length film under the artistic direction of Katharina, which will be played in the background, telling the story of The Valkyrie and revisiting the main locations that inspired Wagner’s work.

The Bayreuth Festival is renowned for its outstanding performances of the 19th-Century German composer Richard Wagner’s operas, performed in a special theatre, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, designed by Wagner himself, so that he could produce his own works.

The Bayreuth Festival’s acclaimed productions receive over 500,000 ticket requests each year with only 60,000 tickets available and a waiting list of up to 9 or 10 years. As a result, Bayreuth Festival fans can eagerly anticipate the opportunity to purchase tickets for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this spectacular production in the UAE capital, performed for the first time ever outside Germany.

 A limited number of AED50 tickets are available for all shows with a valid student ID.

Abu Dhabi Classics’ tickets are available through www.ticketmaster.ae and all Virgin Megastores across the UAE. 

The Reason for the Season

Given the nature of this Abu Dhabi Classics Season of firsts, Dr. Perlwitz suggests you book your tickets early for the performances, so you don’t miss out. Here is Yalla’s breakdown of this season of emotive classical music and opera.

• Austria’s Camerata Salzburg Orchestra and violin virtuoso Renaud Capuçon kick things off on 12 October at Emirates Palace with a Mozart violin concerto. They then will perform Erik Satie’s Gnossiennes and other influential works of the Viennese Classical Period.
• The mesmerising La Scala Academy Rising Stars follow on Friday 9 Novemberwith three different ballet performances commencing with Suitefrom Bayadere, followed by Gymnopedieand Napoli. The Academia Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy, is recognised as one of the world’s foremost institutions in training the full range of performing arts professionals.
• French virtuoso harpist Xavier de Maistreis scheduled for two captivating performances on 6 December at Manarat Al Saadiyat7 December at the celebrated Bin Hamoodah Fort, Al Ain.
• Young Chinese solo pianist Ran Jia returns to the capital on Friday, 19 April 2019. She is internationally renowned for her extraordinary ability to interpret the piano work of Franz Schubert and will perform Schubert’s Sonata in D major D850, Daqun Jia Three Preludes for Solo Piano and Schubert’s Sonata in B flat major 960.