Dubai Opera is preparing for its grand opening

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) - The Dubai Opera, located at the foot of the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa, is preparing for its grand opening at the end of August, which will be graced by the famous Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo. The emirate of Dubai, a commercial hub of the Middle East, aims to enhance its cultural image in this way, as reported by AFP.

In addition to Plácido Domingo, who will inaugurate the first season of Dubai Opera on August 31, the program includes productions of Gioachino Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville and the musical comedy West Side Story.

Dubai, where the majority of residents are foreigners, has a relatively vibrant cultural scene: regular concerts by Arab and Western musicians are held, there is an annual film festival, and the Art Dubai salon dedicated to visual arts. However, the city lacked a grand opera house that would correspond to its ambitions.

In this context, the Dubai Opera project was born, whose design is inspired by the trading tradition of the port city. Its structure resembles a dhow, a small Arab sailing vessel still used in regional maritime transport.

The auditorium, with 2000 seats, is versatile. It can be used as a theater, concert hall, or space for banquets and other events.

"This flexibility allows the opera to host a wide range of performances and events, such as theater productions, operas, ballets, concerts, fashion shows, conferences, or art exhibitions," states the opera’s website.

In recent decades, Dubai, which is one of the United Arab Emirates, has rapidly transformed into a center of commerce and culture in the heart of the Gulf, and its construction sector has attracted massive foreign investments.

Besides the construction of Burj Khalifa, which stands at 828 meters, Dubai features many extravagant structures, such as artificial islands in the shape of a palm or islands reproducing a map of the world.

In the city where the World Expo 2020 will take place, nearly 2.5 million inhabitants live, mostly foreigners. Last year, it was visited by over 14 million tourists, attracted by luxury hotels and amusement parks. The booming tourism is supported by a major airport, which leads the world in terms of international passenger numbers.

"This is a very exciting time. What many people here have been missing is a venue for grand musical performances," says the opera's CEO Jasper Hope, who previously headed the Royal Albert Hall in London.

"It is the perfect moment for the launch of Dubai Opera," states Hope, listing the city’s advantages, including international-level infrastructure, a dynamic economy, and a cosmopolitan population.

So far, only one opera has opened in the Gulf, which was in Oman in 2007, where Sultan Qaboos is known for his love of classical music.

"Dubai wants to be one of the best cities in the world, and therefore it must offer the same as London or New York, including an arts scene," proclaims Tala Badr, director of the private Center for Musical Arts. According to her, this opera will enable Dubai to firmly establish itself on the international music scene.

Dubai Opera will not yet stage any of its own performances, but it will surely inspire local artists. "We have few music, dance, and theater schools, but we will actively support local creation," says Hope.

The art of opera is completely foreign to Arab culture. "Opera is an excellent idea, but when you want to succeed, you have to educate people to understand it," believes Tala Badr.