ABU DHABI The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), one of the most internationally renowned musical ensembles from the UK, is coming to Abu Dhabi this month for their Middle East debut.
The two-show tour will be one of the highlights of the Abu Dhabi Classics – the annual concert season held between October 2014 and May 2015.
The orchestra will perform a modern classical programme built around British composers Sir Edward Elgar and Benjamin Britten, and a thrilling film musical with scores from Star Wars and Bollywood hits by A.R. Rahman.
Debut performance
“We will be playing the musical scores from the original Star Wars composed by John Williams. As Abu Dhabi is heavily featured in the upcoming film, we think it is apt to play the Star Wars scores when we debut in Abu Dhabi,” Stephen Maddocks, CEO of the CBSO, told XPRESS in a telephone interview.
The first concert, a classical one, will be held at the Corniche Breakwater on December 15. The second concert in Al Ain on December 16 will have A.R. Rahman’s popular compositions from Bollywood films like Lagaan, Taal and Bombay.
“Our debut will showcase the CBSO’s strength in playing a wide range of different musicals. There are not many orchestras that can pull off a classical concert one evening, and a filmy musical the very next day,” said Maddocks.
On the orchestra’s debut in the region, Maddocks said Abu Dhabi has been on their mind for a very long time. “We are well aware of Abu Dhabi’s remarkable development in areas like sports, culture and arts. We see there is a growing appetite for classical music here,” said Maddocks.
The City of Birmingham Sym-phony Orchestra was founded in 1920, with an inaugural concert conducted by Sir Edward Elgar, whose Enigma-Variations will be part of the concert programme in Abu Dhabi.
When: December 15, 8pm Where: Corniche, Abu Dhabi Tickets: Dh200-Dh400, (Dh30 for students)
When: December 16, 8pm Where: Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain Tickets: Dh200-Dh400, (Dh30 for students, children) Contact: 800 86823
