When Toshi Reagon first thumbed the pages of Octavia E Butler's Parable of the Sower, she read a few lines, and promptly put the book back down. For several years. "I read the first page, and said 'I'm not reading this now'," she remembers. Fast-forward 24 years, and the American singer-songwriter is preparing to present the world premiere of an opera inspired by the novel, at The Arts Centre at New York University Abu Dhabi, from November 9 to 11.
The book was a present from Reagon’s mother – well, kind of – following its initial release in 1993. Both mother and daughter bought two copies of Butler’s dystopian science-fiction; one for themselves, and a second as a festive gift for the other. Still, the younger Reagon’s pair of books would stay unleafed until four years later, when her mother – the eminent musician and activist Bernice Johnson Reagon – was invited by novelist Toni Morrison to teach an interdisciplinary, semester-long course at Princeton University.
"My Mum said: 'I'm only doing it if I can do it with Toshi'," remembers Reagon, with a characteristic, warm laugh. And when her mother picked Parable of the Sower to be on her eclectic, cherry-picked syllabus, the daughter had no choice but to sit down with the book – and was suitably wowed. "I thought, 'Oh my God, this is amazing,' and shortly afterwards thought, 'We need to sing this story.'"
Twenty years later, the resulting opera – which also draws from the book's sequel Parable of the Talents, and is simply titled Octavia E Butler's Parable of the Sower – will receive its first complete public performances over three nights in Abu Dhabi. "It's been a long journey," sighs Reagon, speaking at the tail end of three weeks of rehearsals in New York, and fresh from a preview outing at Harlem's storied Apollo Theatre.
Theatrically helmed by Obie Award-winning director Eric Ting, and with Reagon serving as musical director and star – as well as co-composer and co-librettist alongside her mother – the resulting piece may be described as an opera, but the experience is set to sit somewhere between an improvised drama and a rock revue; a wanton mix of literary science fiction adaption, inclusive music performance and pointed political polemic.
The Reagon mother/daughter combo have previously teamed up on two operas, the gospel-inspired Flaubert adaptation The Temptation of Saint Anthony, and Zinnias: The Life of Clementine Hunter, a bio-drama of the influential African-American folk artist, both alongside director Robert Wilson.
In the two decades since the family duo began pondering a Parable of the Sower stage adaptation, the calendar has rolled ever closer to 2024, the year in which Butler's fictional tale begins. Just reading a brief synopsis is enough to appreciate why this novel was not a simple tale to frame in folk-rock songwriting: Butler's book offers a bleak portrait of a near-future world ravaged by climate change, wealth inequality and racially motivated violence. From the ashes of this collapsed society our protagonist, the 18-year-old Lauren Olamina, flees her gated California community following the murder of her parents by lawless gangs, to walk this scarred land sowing a new belief system dubbed Earthseed. A breezy beach read, this most decidedly is not.
But for Reagon, an award-winning artist with a 35-year performance career behind her, turning the prose into music, “didn’t feel hard at all”. Drawing from African-American musical traditions across the ages, Reagon’s best work seamlessly channels the primal stomp of the blues, urban groove of funk and rural, collective heart of spirituals alike, fed through the prism of a socially conscious folk aesthetic.
As hackneyed as it might sound, it is in the blood of this proud Atlanta offspring, who was born into a family as motivated by music as they were by speaking up for what is right. Reagon’s parents were both members of The Freedom Singers, a protest group which played a pivotal role battling segregation in the early 1960s. Her late father Cordell Hull Reagon was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, while her 75-year-old mother founded African-American a capella groups The Harambee Singers and the Grammy Award-winning Sweet Honey in the Rock, whom she toured with for three decades before her retirement from the stage in 2004. Then there is the small matter of Reagon’s godfather, genre-defining folk and protest singer Pete Seeger, whose wife not-coincidentally shares the name Toshi. Reagon also once played for the Obamas.
Yet Reagon chose to return to Abu Dhabi as the last stop of her Parable journey – an earlier "in concert" work-in-progress version of the opera was performed at NYUAD 26 months earlier. Since that September 2015 debut – which took place at The Arts Centre's 150-capacity Black Box space – the "in concert" version has played at just a handful of arts spaces in the United States, slowly evolving and growing in scope with each engagement.
Next week’s grand premiere will see the opera shifted to the 700-capacity The Red Theatre, with additional staging, lighting and choreography, while the score has grown to include even more music than the 23 songs unveiled two years ago. “For people who came last time, there’s a lot of new music – and none gone,” adds Reagon. “We didn’t get rid of anything, we just brought out more of the characters.”
Parable’s cast has expanded from 13 members in the early version to 20 in the opera, including a chorus of 15 musicians and singers who surround Reagon on the stage, seated in an inclusive semi-circle – the invite to the audience is implicit, and many found themselves standing and singing along to the unfamiliar material on the previous Abu Dhabi date.
Because, for all the literary inspiration, Reagon's music remains at core a communal ritual. Since 1996, she has led the open-hearted rock troupe BIGLovely, which will also make its Abu Dhabi debut a week before the Parable premiere, performing a more relaxed outdoor gig at NYUAD's East Plaza tomorrow.
Steeped in rock 'n' roll heritage, live sets might include foot-stomping standards like Smokestack Lightnin' and Heartbreak Hotel, alongside Reagon's bracing original material, littered with charismatic monologues and implorations, with wit and humour to spare.
“I will never sing the same thing twice,” says the 53-year-old. “I will always be improvisational – if you give me a piece of paper and say, ‘We just want you to read this every night at 8pm,’ I will change it every time. I’m the loose cannon in the cast.”
Billed as Toshi Reagon with BIGLovely and Friends, tomorrow's one-off Abu Dhabi special will feature guest solo slots from four members of Parable's all-star cast – Tariq Al-Sabir, Morley, Josette Newsam-Marchak and Shayna Small – and marks the band's first gig since early summer.
This sporadic touring schedule is likely a result of Reagon's preoccupation with Parable of the Sower.
“This is absolutely one of the biggest things I’ve ever done,” says the singer, who has previously collaborated with banner pop names including Lenny Kravitz and Elvis Costello, and presented work everywhere from the Paris Opera House to New York’s Madison Square Garden.
“We’re really excited to come back to Abu Dhabi and present this work on a world stage,” she says. “It’s a great way to bring a community together, and just say what everybody is thinking – where we are right now, what we’re all going through – but not alone, being with other people.”
Toshi Reagon with BIGLovely and Friends perform at NYUAD’s East Plaza tomorrow at 8pm; the world premiere of Octavia E Butler’s Parable of the Sower takes place on Thursday, November 9, and runs until Saturday, November 11, all 8pm. For tickets, at Dh100 for adults and Dh50 for students/children for all shows, and for more information, visit www.nyuad-artscenter.org
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Universities can grow overseas student population by selling whole UAE package
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Company%20Profile
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Profile of Hala Insurance
Date Started: September 2018
Founders: Walid and Karim Dib
Based: Abu Dhabi
Employees: Nine
Amount raised: $1.2 million
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, AB Accelerator, 500 Startups, private backers
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
WWE Evolution results
- Trish Stratus and Lita beat Alicia Fox and Mickie James in a tag match
- Nia Jax won a battle royal, eliminating Ember Moon last to win
- Toni Storm beat Io Shirai to win the Mae Young Classic
- Natalya, Sasha Banks and Bayley beat The Riott Squad in a six-woman tag match
- Shayna Baszler won the NXT Women’s title by defeating Kairi Sane
- Becky Lynch retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match
- Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women’s title by beating Nikki Bella
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Pakistan T20 series squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
The%20US%20Congress%20explained
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Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
More on Quran memorisation:
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
In%20the%20Land%20of%20Saints%20and%20Sinners
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERobert%20Lorenz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Liam%20Neeson%2C%20Kerry%20Condon%2C%20Jack%20Gleeson%2C%20Ciaran%20Hinds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Spec%20sheet
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.7%22%20Retina%20HD%2C%201334%20x%20750%2C%20625%20nits%2C%201400%3A1%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EChip%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20A15%20Bionic%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%204-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%2C%20f%2F1.8%2C%205x%20digital%20zoom%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%2B%40%2024%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full%20HD%2B%40%2030%2F60fps%2C%20HD%2B%40%2030%20fps%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFront%20camera%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7MP%2C%20f%2F2.2%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3B%20HD%20video%2B%40%2030fps%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%2015%20hours%20video%2C%2050%20hours%20audio%3B%2050%25%20fast%20charge%20in%2030%20minutes%20with%2020W%20charger%3B%20wireless%20charging%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Touch%20ID%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP67%2C%20dust%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%201m%20for%2030%20minutes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C849%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Specs
Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
