DUBAI:– Expo 2020 Dubai has released an exclusive video showing the Firdaus Orchestra performing for the first time, capturing the talent and creativity of Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman’s pioneering all-women ensemble.
With just a week to go before doors open to the world’s greatest cultural gathering, the footage highlights the artistic prowess of the 50 musicians from across the Arab world, as they prepare to debut a fusion of styles and genres at Expo 2020 next month.
Starting from 23 October, the concerts will also feature works composed by A.R. Rahman for the orchestra’s inaugural performance on the global stage.
Celebrating the region’s culture and diversity, Expo 2020’s in-house orchestra, which has appointed Yasmina Sabbah as its conductor, is made up of intermediate to semi-professional musicians of 23 nationalities and ages ranging from 16 to 51, demonstrating how music is accessible to and for everyone.
A.R. Rahman said: ‘’It’s been an honour and privilege to have founded and mentored the Firdaus Orchestra for Expo 2020 Dubai. This ensemble has a very unique character as it’s symbolic of our changing world and evolution in music, particularly in the Middle East. The voices of the Firdaus Orchestra, comprising of artists from more than 23 nationalities across the region, are so different from anything we’ve heard in the west or the east; they represent a whole new sound which is very exciting. This has been a dear project for me and I’m grateful to Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy whose support and guidance have made this extraordinary ensemble possible. I’m proud to say that the Firdaus Orchestra is a world-class collective of musicians. Witness their artistry at the Expo 2020 Dubai.”
Noura Sulaiman, Official Spokesperson, Firdaus Orchestra, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “It's really exciting to be part of the Firdaus Orchestra team, and see female musicians from across the Arab world come together to collaborate and be empowered in this inspiring journey to Expo 2020 and beyond.
"As an Emirati musician, I feel honoured to be working with A. R. Rahman and to be part of the most diverse World Expo ever. Expo 2020 presents a one-of-a-kind opportunity for millions of visitors from around the world to discover the region's culture and creative talent."
Yasmina Sabbah, Conductor of Firdaus Orchestra, said: “It is in our mission to break the stereotype of women in the region by bringing together inspiring musicians and blending our cultures and passion to create a unique sound: the voice of the Firdaus Orchestra.”
Arial Azarian, Firdaus Orchestra musician, said: “Being in a professional orchestra is a dream come true, and the fact that it's at Expo with an all-female group is just out of this world and it's a privilege, and I'm just really excited to be a part of this. It's life changing.”
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About Expo 2020 Dubai
From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai will welcome visitors from every corner of the globe to join the making of a new world, as it brings together the planet in one place to reimagine tomorrow.
- With the purpose of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 will be the world’s most impactful global incubator for new ideas, catalysing an exchange of new perspectives and inspiring action to deliver real-life solutions to real-world challenges
- Expo 2020 will be the biggest cultural gathering in the world, presenting a visually striking and emotionally inspiring 182 days, as more than 200 participants – including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as millions of visitors – create the largest and most diverse World Expo ever
- Expo 2020’s subthemes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability will inspire visitors to preserve and protect our planet, explore new frontiers and build a better future for everyone
- For six months, Expo 2020 will be a must-visit family destination, with thousands of events, amazing exploratory experiences, and free entry for children up to age 18
- Expo is committed to building a more equitable and just world for everyone, while keeping visitors safe by following the latest guidance of the world’s leading medical, science and health experts
- Expo 2020 is the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
- Built with a meaningful and measurable long-term legacy in mind, the Expo site will transform into District 2020 – a model global community that will rethink the cities of the future – after Expo 2020 closes its doors
How to cover Expo 2020 Dubai in person at event time or report on the event remotely
To attend Expo 2020 or cover Expo 2020 remotely using content and assets generated by Expo, you must be accredited.
To kick off your journey with Expo 2020, please ensure that you:
- Register to access our Media Information System, Tawassul at https://media.expo2020dubai.com
Tawassul is regularly updated, providing the latest content assets, including press releases, photographs, audio and video, the electronic media kit, and information on broadcast and photography operations. It also provides you with important information and updates on facilities and services such as media accreditation, visa information for international accredited media, and permits. Access to other media-related systems (Media Asset Management System and Media Bookings System), which will be launched in Q2 2021, will only be permitted to accredited media (see below). Information about these systems can be found on Tawassul.
- Once registered, submit an Expo 2020 Media Accreditation expression of interest.
Within this expression of interest, please appoint an Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) from within your organisation who will act as the single point of contact with Expo 2020 for media accreditation. Following this, approved media organisations will be provided login details and instructions for the accreditation system to enable them to submit applications.
For support, contact Expo 2020 Dubai’s Media Services team at media.services@expo2020.ae or +971 (0)56 689 2101.
Visit: www.expo2020dubai.com
About World Expos
In 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centrepiece of London’s Great Exhibition – the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, ‘Industry of All Nations’, were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organisations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand, and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment.
World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (‘Expos’) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of Expos are organised under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Office
On call contact
Email: press.office@expo2020.ae
Tel: +971 56 688 9509
P.O. Box 2020, Dubai, UAE
© Press Release 2021
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