The ABU DHABI 2015 Festival announces program for 12th edition

The Festival Abu Dhabi (ADF), organized by the Arts and Music Foundation of Abu Dhabi (ADMAF) has announced the innovative program for this 12 Edition, which will be held from March 3 to April 2.

Considered as one of the major cultural festivals in the Middle East, the Abu Dhabi Festival 2015 will welcome several performances like outstanding Brazilian musician  Sérgio Mendes; maestro Riccardo Muti directing virtuoso violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter violin and the new Orchestra Luigi Cherubini, the popular Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez, pianists Jan Lisiecki and Leif Ove Andsnes, the Festival de Budapest Orchestra conducted by Iván Fischer, two performances of the magic flute concert by Mozart; or the Lebanese-american singer Mayssa Karaa making his international debut.

In addition, this main program has a high element related to Visual Arts by the presence of two new curatorships of Fatma Lootah and Noor Al Suwaidi and, for the first time in the Middle, the popular exhibition View from Inside by FotoFest. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will be the beneficiary in this edition festival.

Combining music, theatre, dance, Visual Arts and traditional arts, the Abu Dhabi Festival will begin on March 3 with a national educational and community program. The main performances program will take place at the Emirates Palace from March 3 to April 2 and will include the Festival Recital Series and the exhibition View from Inside by FotoFest, which will continue until April 20. The range of performances, exhibitions, debates, workshops and screenings of the Festival will offer the audience the opportunity to live by first-hand the power of the arts to free the people potential and achieve a greater cultural understanding between local and global communities.

Supporting the main program, the extensive educational and community program of ADF 2015 covers the communities of the seven emirates, keeping the 'Bilad Al Khayr'(the land of blessings) spirit. Providing about 130 inspiring and memorable experiences, the Abu Dhabi Festival is one of the biggest cultural festivals in region.

S.E. Hoda Al Khamis-Kanoo, founder of the Arts and the Music Abu Dhabi Foundation and Artistic Director of the ADF, said: "as time passes the Abu Dhabi Festival falls in the fabric of the society." It is not just an event. It is a creative experience anticipated and welcomed by the United Arab Emirates people. The many platforms on which we invite the most creative minds of the nation and the best artists in the world to act, they are like incubators for big ideas, sowing the seeds of invention in our beloved nation and more beyond, so that we can reap the benefits in the future.

"In a world that has never been as complex and diverse as today, the capacity of the Arab world in general and Abu Dhabi in particular to generate new ideas, to be a place for creation, is really significant. The Liberal Arts, including Humanities and Science, give us more tools to shape our future, to seek out opportunities and overcome the challenges we are facing.

"From an economic point of view, is our duty to promote, stimulate and invest in our young people, so that they can create and develop new ideas. The UAE are an extraordinary ecosystem to foster new ideas, new seeds for the creation.

"From the Abu Dhabi Festival until its scholarships, community programme and educational work throughout the year, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation considers that its function is, literally, to grow in the desert - create perfect conditions for nurturing ideas in every UAE citizen until they take root and flourish." After all, the only unlimited resource of this planet is the creativity."

Improving its long-term commitment related to the new music, the Abu Dhabi Festival will introduce this year a new series of recitals by award-winning young graduates in classical music.

These concerts offer a unique opportunity to experience the music of the future virtuous musicians. During their visit to the capital of the UAE, these incredible musicians (pianists Ah Reum Ahn (March 3) and Julian Libeer (March 13) and violinist Aisha Syed Castro (March 17) will also attract and inspire the most talented young musicians from Abu Dhabi through workshops in schools, universities and center for music.

Making his debut in the region of the Arabia Gulf with a performance at the auditorium of the Emirates Palace on March 20, the outstanding Brasilian musician Sérgio Mendes will perform Beats from Brazil. In a concert, in which he will perform his greatest hits, Mendes (accompanied by the rap artist H2O) will display all his spectrum of musical influences while he will attract the public with his mixing of soul, funk, jazz and pop music including a carnival with Brazilian rhythms.

Peruvian Juan Diego Flórez will perfom Una noche en la Ópera with Festival de Budapest orchestra, nominated to a Grammy and directed by Gábor Takács-Nagy, including the highlight of the opera from Rossini to Bizet. This premier in the Arab world will take place at the auditorium of the Emirates Palace on March 23.

The principal orchestra this year, the Festival de Budapest, which is directed by its founder Iván Fischer, will perform in three aditional nights: the concert No. 5 by Beethoven with the awardwinner Noruegan pianist Leif Ove Andsnes on March 26, and the Magic Flute by Mozart in two specials concerts on March 28 and 30.

At the Emirates Palace hall, artist Jan Lisiecki will give a concert with classic piano performing one of the Études by Chopin, for which he is specially known. This exceptional musician who has been awarded many times, will carry out his premier at the Arab Gulf on March24.

On the other part, the prominent maestro Ricardo Muti will direct the Joven Luigi Cherubini Orchestra on March 25. The orchestra is composed of young instrumentalists from different regions of Italy, guest country at the Abu Dhabi Festival 2015. Also, the virtuous pianist Anne-Sophie Mutter will perform the Concierto de Violín by Beethoven, one of her best themes.

Versatil Libanese-American Singer Mayssa Karaa will play the main role in the final concert. Her unique style is like a musical bridge between East and West. Mayssa will make her debut in this festival on April 2 along with a group of very good musicians including a special guest from the United Kigdom, singer Marcus Nand.

ADMAD founder and Artistic Director of the Festival, S.E Hoda Al Khamis-Kanno was accompanied during the press conference by S.E. Giorgio Starace, Italina amabassador at the los EAU; Mayssa Karaa, cantautora; Wendy Watriss, artistic director and co-founder of FotoFest; Nabil Othman,regional substitute representative of the countires from Gulf Cooperation Council GCC  for para ACNUR; and Amal Al Agroobi,  a prizewinner moviemaker.

About the Abu Dhabi Festival

The Abu Dhabi Festival is the main art and culture celebration of the United Arab Emirates. Created in 2004, it continues attracting national and international artists of first level every year. In this 12 edition, the festival has gained the place corresponding to the biggest cultural event in the region and during these past ten years, it has established work links with some of the most influential cultural institutions in the world like the International Festival in Edimburgo, the Royal Opera House, and the International Festival in Manchester o Carnegie Hall. Through a group of educational and community programs, the festival bring together artists, students, communities and cultural organizations of the EAU and actively support Emirati emerging talent, besides promoting the Emirati cultural and artistic legacy of the in all kind of aspects.

About the Arts and Music Foundation in Abu Dhabi

The Arts and Music Foundation in Abu Dhabi is aimed at developing arts, education, culture, and creativity in favor of the society as well as the progress of the cultural view of de Abu Dhabi. Created in 1996 by S.E. Hoda Al Khamis-Kanoo, ADMAF founder, this foundation is an organization with no profit motive under sponsor and presidence of S.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development.

The wide spectrum of initiatives of ADMAF including the Abu Dhabi Festival,educational and community programs all over the year , the National's Gallery, brings together audience from all ages and nationalites. Through them, the creative talent of the EAU is developed and beyond that in association with leader national and international institutions.