A world premiere, Arab headliners and large-scale family shows feature in the new season at the Royal Opera House Muscat.
Running from October to May, the programme has more than 50 events and features artists and production companies from the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
The concert line-up includes veteran Saudi singer Rabeh Saqer and Lebanon’s Diana Haddad, while a grand opera production of Sindbad: The Omani Sailor will open the season with a world premiere.
Family favourites include a screening of the Oscar-winning animated film The Lion King with live orchestra, as well as the popular dance show Cinderella on Ice.
Here's a look at what is on offer.
The operas
The opening night curtain rises on Sindbad: The Omani Sailor on October 3 and 5. The production features music by Egyptian composer Hisham Gabr; an Arabic libretto by Nader Salah El Din; and the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. A regional and international cast will bring to life the legendary sailor and adventurer, long tied to Oman’s seafaring heritage.
Puccini’s tragic opera Tosca, set in 19th-century Rome, will be staged on January 29 and 31, featuring Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio in the title role, Vittorio Grigolo as Cavaradossi and Ambrogio Maestri as the villainous Scarpia. The opera is backed by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre under conductor Fabio Mastrangelo.
Donizetti’s Don Pasquale is another highlight, with shows on April 9 and 11. It tells a comedic tale of an elderly bachelor who gets more than he bargained for in his quest for marriage. The cast is led by Italian bass Carlo Lepore, with Francesco Lanzillotta conducting the Oviedo Filarmonia and featuring Choir 1685 of the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Ravenna.
The Arab stars
Diana Haddad will take the stage twice, first as a special guest at the Omani Women’s Day Concert on October 17 with the Egyptian duo Ayoub Sisters and the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra Ladies’ Ensemble; and then performing her hits in a solo show on October 18.
Rabeh Saqer, who has a repertoire that spans five decades, will perform an outdoor show at the opera house’s courtyard, the Maidan, on November 13.
The sultanate’s rich music tradition will be showcased on December 12 with the Omani Night concert, featuring the works of renowned local composer Sayyid Khalid Al Busaidi performed by the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra.
There will be three Evenings of Sufi and Inshaad performances that run on February 26, March 5 and March 9 during Ramadan, with prominent performers from Egypt, Syria and Oman.
Lebanese singer and composer Abeer Nehme will deliver her signature repertoire of Levantine folk and opera with concerts on May 14 and 15.
Classical and ballet
The Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra will perform on October 4, joined by the Oman Traditional Music Ensemble.
Russia’s Ossipov National Academic Folk Instrument Orchestra performs on November 17, presenting folk song arrangements alongside symphonic works by classical composers reimagined for Russian folk instruments. Soloists include Sofia Onopchenko, Albina Degtyareva and Arslan Umurzakov.
The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra closes the year with a December 31 concert featuring pianist Behzod Abduraimov in Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and violinist Elli Choi performing Alexey Shor’s Violin Concerto No 5.
On January 30, Helene Mercier and Louis Lortie will perform Liszt’s two-piano arrangement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with choir and soloists.
Meanwhile, the ballet Coppelia by Astana Opera, based on 20th-century choreography by Roland Petit, will be staged on December 4 and 5, while Spain’s National Ballet brings Estampas Flamencas on May 7 and 8.
World music and jazz
The Janoska Ensemble from Slovakia and Vienna Chamber Orchestra will collaborate on October 30 and 31 with a repertoire that blends improvisation, original works and their popular reworking of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
American jazz singer Emmaline will perform on November 27 and 28, joined by pianist Anthony Strong. The programme features her original songs and jazz standards.
Family entertainment
The Maidan will once again host Military Music: Oman and the World from November 6 to 8, featuring Omani military and police bands performing alongside international marching ensembles in full regalia.
French company Lumen Creations brings its acrobatic theatre piece Symphony of Lights on December 18 and 19, while Cinderella on Ice opens the new year with performances from January 1 to 3.
The Lion King Live in Concert, accompanied by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, will be performed on February 13 and 14.
All performances are staged in the main auditorium unless noted otherwise. Tickets and timings are available on the Royal Opera House Muscat website
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
Tour de France
When: July 7-29
UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
