Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Festival features a varied programme of ballet, opera, classical and Arabic music, a visual arts component and a strong educational programme which forms the festival's backbone.
The Festival is presented by ADMAF with executive producer IMG Artists. It is supported by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) which is the title sponsor of the 6th Festival. This year's Festival is also the first to involve collaboration with Flash Entertainment who, together with ADMAF, are bringing Andrea Bocelli to Abu Dhabi for the first time.
PROGRAM
A special Opera Gala kicked off the Festival with a performance by one of the world's leading opera singers, Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu, and internationally acclaimed German tenor Jonas Kaufmann, accompanied by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra under the leadership of Austrian conductor Ion Marin.
Following their enormous success last year, The Bolshoi Ballet returns to Abu Dhabi for a second year to deliver a Ballet Gala and two performances of Yuri Grigorovic's interpretation of Giselle.
Internationally-famed tenor Andrea Bocelli will give a one-night only outdoor concert on the lawns of the Emirates Palace, accompanied by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Andrea will be joined on stage by Conductor Marcello Rota, soprano Paola Sanguinetti and baritone Gianfranco Montresor and will feature songs from his new album "Incanto".
Returning to the UAE capital is Oud virtuoso, Naseer Shamma, who will accompany World Music Award Winner, Tunisian actress and singer, Latifa, in a world premiere performance featuring new songs with Andalusian themes and inspired by Arab poets.
Following his successful show in 2008, French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet will perform a concert alongside the world's foremost solo flautist, Sir James Galway, and Russian cellist Nina Kotova, in a unique collaboration. The festival will also feature a special performance by the legendary Lebanese UN Goodwill Ambassador and soprano Magida El Roumi.
Closing this year's festival is Karim Said, a talented young pianist who has quickly emerged at the forefront of the international concert stage.
An integral part of the festival is the visual arts element, which now in its second year features contemporary Iraqi-British artist, Dia Al-Azzawi. Exhibiting throughout the Festival at The Emirates Palace's auditorium foyer, the public can view striking works from one of the world's best-known contemporary Arab artists.
For further information, visit www.admafestival.com.
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Starting from AED 75, tickets are available from the Time Out Tickets website www.timeouttickets.com, or by calling 011 971 4 210 8567 (for international customers). All box office proceeds received by ADMAF will be donated to the Red Crescent to support humanitarian work in Gaza.
