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CLASSICAL MUSIC

Abu Dhabi festival: 22 years of 'world harmony'

A celebration of harmony through music, memory and global exchange, with Japan as this year's country of honor.

Abu Dhabi festival: 22 years of 'world harmony'

Hoda Kanoo, founder of Admaf and artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival. (Credit: Admaf)

Launched on Feb. 7, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) festival marks its 22nd edition alongside the 50th anniversary of cultural and diplomatic relations with Japan, this year’s country of honor. An eclectic program accompanies the world premiere of a new staging of "Pelléas et Mélisande" at the Opéra Bastille, directed by Wajdi Mouawad. With support from ADMAF and its partners, Debussy’s unique operatic masterpiece has been reimagined three decades after Bob Wilson’s landmark production.Japan in the spotlightUnder the theme "A World of Harmony," the festival opened at the Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi with a regional first: a concert by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by maestro Yutaka Sado and featuring tenor Jonathan Tetelman and pianist Kyohei Sorita. The program...
Launched on Feb. 7, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) festival marks its 22nd edition alongside the 50th anniversary of cultural and diplomatic relations with Japan, this year’s country of honor. An eclectic program accompanies the world premiere of a new staging of "Pelléas et Mélisande" at the Opéra Bastille, directed by Wajdi Mouawad. With support from ADMAF and its partners, Debussy’s unique operatic masterpiece has been reimagined three decades after Bob Wilson’s landmark production.Japan in the spotlightUnder the theme "A World of Harmony," the festival opened at the Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi with a regional first: a concert by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by maestro Yutaka Sado and featuring tenor Jonathan Tetelman and pianist Kyohei Sorita. The...