Abu Dhabi, March 20th, 2011 (WAM) -- Held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Abu Dhabi Festival 2011 got underway yesterday evening (Saturday) with a stunning gala performance of Mozart Masterpieces presented by The Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Belgium.
Starring the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie conducted and led by virtuoso violinist Augustin Dumay and accompanied by highly acclaimed pianist Abdel Rahman El Bacha and award-winning soloists Christia Hudziy on piano, Maxim Rysanov on Viola and Nikitia Borisa-Glebsky on violin from the eminent Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, enthralled the packed house with the repertoire of some of Mozarts most beautiful works for the piano and violin. The evening also hosted the inauguration of the Algerian artist Rachid Kora chis visual arts exhibition and the presentation of the Abu Dhabi Festival Award. Amongst those attending the Gala opening were Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, President and Patron of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala, Jos Chabert, Minister of State from Belgium, Anick Van Claster, Ambassador of Belgium to the UAE and Prinzessin Irina zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Berleburg and Zaki Nusseibeh. Also present were representatives from a range of ADMAFs international partners, including Jonathan Mills, Director of the Edinburgh Festival and Paul Dujardin from BOZAR. Speaking directly after the gala performance, Festival Artistic Director and Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, Mrs. Hoda Kanoo said: "It is my personal great pleasure to be joined by so many distinguished guests in celebration of the opening of the eighth Abu Dhabi Festival. Each year we strive to bring together a programme of the worlds brightest talent for the whole of the United Arab Emirates to enjoy. The performance this evening was entirely captivating and was a spectacular opening to this years Festival. I am delighted to welcome Belgiums Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie to Abu Dhabi. It is through the development of partnerships and exchange of cultures with Belgium that we can work towards our aim of establishing Abu Dhabi as a leading cultural capital." The gala evening also saw the inauguration of Algerian artist Rachid Kora chis visionary tour de force The Path of Roses (Tariq Al Ward) by Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan and Mrs. Hoda Kanoo. Premiering for the first time in the GCC, this extraordinary installation explores the Islamic concept of Safer (travel and transcendence) and pays tribute to the thirteenth century poet and mystic Jalal ad-Din Rumi. Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan and Mrs Hoda Kanoo were accompanied by Kora chi through a viewing of the highly regarded masterpiece of contemporary Arab art. The Abu Dhabi Festival Award was presented by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Mrs. Hoda Kanoo. Presented in association with Chopard, this years recipients were nine interior design students from the Higher Colleges of Technology for their work in creating and designing the masks, costumes and stage settings for the Childrens Opera in Abu Dhabi. The Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie was brought to the Festival under the auspices of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel. These two eminent institutions highlight the partnership between this years partner country Belgium and the 2011 Abu Dhabi Festival. The audience was left captivated by this fabulous performance which featured two Steinway pianos on the stage at the same time, something that is rarely seen in the classical world. The four part performance opened with Mozarts Concertone in C (K.190), followed by the Concerto for 2 pianos in E flat major (K. 365) which was declared by a commentator as a piece that is "impossible to hear without smiling". Mozarts Concertone in C (K.190) and his Sinfonia Concertante in E Flat (K.364) provided the opportunity for the soloists to bring the beautiful scores to life. Closing the spectacular gala evening was Mozarts Symphony No. 29 in A major (K.201). Showcasing Mozarts break with the conventions of Salzburg, and a nod to the Viennese style, the piece brought a rousing end to an amazing evening. In an encore performance, the ensemble treated the audience to an extract from Georges Bizets LArl sienne.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.
