emirates7 - Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Founding Honorary Patron of Abu Dhabi Festival, the Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad programme continued its cultural diplomacy mission in November with a series of concerts and discussions across the United States.
The programme featured three headline events: the American premiere of Shams Wujoudi by composer Faraj Abyad at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York; the world premiere of the opera A Journey to the New World at Carnegie Hall, performed by the Reina Sofía School of Music Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Festival and featuring Emirati cellist Elham Al Marzooqi; and two Arts in Embassies discussions hosted by the UAE Embassy in Washington and the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the United Nations.
Huda Ibrahim Al Khamis, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival, said the festival’s international partnerships with leading cultural institutions reflect a long-standing commitment to creative collaboration and to showcasing Emirati talent on global stages.
She noted that the festival presented Abyad’s Shams Wujoudi in the United States for the first time, alongside the Carnegie Hall debut of the Reina Sofía School of Music Symphony Orchestra, performing works by Albéniz, Barber and Dvořák under Maestro Andrés Orozco-Estrada, with violinist Renaud Capuçon and musicians from the Colombian Youth Philharmonic. Emirati cellist Elham Al Marzooqi performed as part of the production.
Abyad’s New York performance blended Eastern maqams with Western orchestration, reimagining Syrian folkloric works and muwashahat, accompanied by curated visual artworks from the Barjeel Art Foundation. The concert also marked the introduction of the Athar Orchestra, a New York-based ensemble.
The Arts in Embassies discussion Music as a Bridge brought artists including Al Marzooqi, Abyad and Kinan Azmeh together in New York on 14th November. A second session in Washington, D.C. on 18th November featured Al Marzooqi, Abyad and Kate Seely of the Middle East Institute. Both dialogues explored the role of music in fostering cultural understanding and shared creativity.
Through its global programme, Abu Dhabi Festival continues to promote cultural exchange and advance the UAE’s creative presence on the international stage.
The programme featured three headline events: the American premiere of Shams Wujoudi by composer Faraj Abyad at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York; the world premiere of the opera A Journey to the New World at Carnegie Hall, performed by the Reina Sofía School of Music Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Festival and featuring Emirati cellist Elham Al Marzooqi; and two Arts in Embassies discussions hosted by the UAE Embassy in Washington and the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the United Nations.
Huda Ibrahim Al Khamis, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival, said the festival’s international partnerships with leading cultural institutions reflect a long-standing commitment to creative collaboration and to showcasing Emirati talent on global stages.
She noted that the festival presented Abyad’s Shams Wujoudi in the United States for the first time, alongside the Carnegie Hall debut of the Reina Sofía School of Music Symphony Orchestra, performing works by Albéniz, Barber and Dvořák under Maestro Andrés Orozco-Estrada, with violinist Renaud Capuçon and musicians from the Colombian Youth Philharmonic. Emirati cellist Elham Al Marzooqi performed as part of the production.
Abyad’s New York performance blended Eastern maqams with Western orchestration, reimagining Syrian folkloric works and muwashahat, accompanied by curated visual artworks from the Barjeel Art Foundation. The concert also marked the introduction of the Athar Orchestra, a New York-based ensemble.
The Arts in Embassies discussion Music as a Bridge brought artists including Al Marzooqi, Abyad and Kinan Azmeh together in New York on 14th November. A second session in Washington, D.C. on 18th November featured Al Marzooqi, Abyad and Kate Seely of the Middle East Institute. Both dialogues explored the role of music in fostering cultural understanding and shared creativity.
Through its global programme, Abu Dhabi Festival continues to promote cultural exchange and advance the UAE’s creative presence on the international stage.