British sensation James Arthur and Arab superstars Abdullah Rowaished, Nabeel Shuail and Ragheb Alaama will headline this year’s Spring of Culture festival.

The festival, which is in its 13th edition, will also feature family shows, theatre performances, exhibitions, workshops, lectures and education programmes.

The festival will run from February 25 to April 30, and is being organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca), the Economic Development Board (EDB) as well as the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research.

The launch coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Bahrain Fort Site Museum and is part of Baca’s year-long celebration of Muharraq’s selection as the 2018 Capital of Islamic Culture.

Details of the two-month festival were released yesterday during a Press conference at Bahrain Fort Site Museum, which was attended by Baca president Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa and EDB chief executive Khalid Al Rumaihi, diplomats and other officials.

“The Kingdom of Bahrain has been building bridges with the world through the festival for 13 spring seasons, supported by all our partners,” said Shaikha Mai.

“From this museum in its 10th anniversary, we announce this cultural season as part of our celebration of the city of Muharraq, Capital of Islamic Culture 2018.

“The Pearling Trail in Muharraq has much in common with the Bahrain Fort Site in Manama, as the two Unesco World Heritage Sites reflect the history and civilisations of ancient and modern Bahrain and affirm Bahrainis’ ability to always be positive contributors.

“All of society comes together each year during the spring season for the sake of our kingdom and our cultural movement.”

Some events will also be held in collaboration with Albareh Art Gallery and La Fontaine Art Centre of Contemporary Art while others were made possible by contributions from the embassies of Italy, South Korea and the US.

Support

“The continuous support from the private and public sectors to the Spring of Culture festival reflects the importance of this annual international event, as well as strong overall confidence in the growth potential of Bahrain’s tourism sector,” said Mr Al Rumaihi.

“Tourism contributes more than six per cent to the kingdom’s non-oil GDP and growth is set to accelerate further as the industry benefits from nearly BD5 billion in tourism infrastructure investment.

“The EDB’s support of the Spring of Culture is in line with our mandate to create jobs through developing and growing key strategic sectors, including tourism and leisure, and attracting quality inward investment to Bahrain.”

The Epic of Gilgamesh, the most celebrated work from Ancient Mesopotamia, will start off the festival at Bahrain National Theatre on February 25, which coincides with Arab Tourism Day commemorating the birth anniversary of famous Arab traveller Ibn Battuta.

The stage production was written and composed by Abed Azrié, and features maestro Alain Joutard leading the Notre Dame University Choir Louaizé of Lebanon, L’ensemble à cordes de Paris, and Bahrain’s Mohammed bin Faris Band.

Moroccan singer Karima Skalli’s enchanting renditions of well-known works of great Arab poets will be held on March 1, followed by a unique take on William Shakespeare’s classic Macbeth, which will be performed by UK-based Shakespeare 4 Kidz (S4K) Music Theatre on March 8.

Korea’s Sookmyung Gayageum Orchestra will perform an eclectic mix of traditional Korean music and Western hits on March 14. All three shows will be held at the Cultural Hall.

On March 9, Kuwaiti singers Abdullah Rowaished and Nabeel Shuail will take to the stage at Bahrain Bay.

Both artists are popular in the Arab music scene and launched their solo careers in the 1980s. Shuail has more than 26 albums to his name while Rowaished has more than 30.

Bahraini Jazz band Likwid and Friends, who have been performing together since 2004, will take to the stage on March 17 at Bahrain Bay, while a performance by British star James Arthur will be held on March 23 at the same venue.

Singer and songwriter James Arthur, who won the ninth series of The X Factor in 2012, studied in Bahrain for four years at the British School.

The Cultural Hall will also host two exceptional acts from Italy, starting with the Duo Etnopolis performing Italian folk music on March 25, as well as mezzosoprano Laura Capretti and pianist Francesco Maccarrone in an evening of European classical music on March 28.

The headline acts will culminate in a performance by Lebanese superstar Ragheb Alaama on March 30 at Bahrain Bay.

Ragheb Alaama is an award-winning singer, dancer, composer, television personality and philanthropist, who began his career in the 1980s. He was also a judge on Arab Idol, the pan-Arab version of the hit show American Idol.

In collaboration with the US Embassy, The Mary McBride Band will take the audience deep into the worlds of country music, gospel, blues and old school rock ‘n’ roll on March 31 at Cultural Hall.

On April 4, the same venue will host 36 Abbas Street: Haifa, a play which tells the story of resilience and determination of the Palestinian people in the face of occupation, diaspora and the right of return.

This will be followed on April 6 by Turkey’s Mekder Sufi Ensemble’s performance of the Whirling Dervishes Ceremony, one of the most important distinguishing elements of Turkish culture.

Families will also have plenty of entertainment with a stage adaptation of Road Dahl’s classic tale George’s Marvellous Medicine on March 17 and March 20 at the Cultural Hall followed by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a colourful story featuring 75 puppets taking place also at the Cultural Hall on April 12, 14, 15 and 16.

Opening

The festival also features a large number of art exhibitions, including the 44th Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition, which will run until March 7 next to Arad Fort and will display works by various local artists.

The inauguration of the ‘Archaeologies of Green’, which was formerly the country’s pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015, will also take place as part of the festival in March.

The structure was taken apart and re-assembled next to Shaikh Isa bin Ali House in Muharraq where it will serve as a botanical garden with 10 fruit gardens and artefacts that chronicle the history of Bahrain’s agricultural heritage.

For more information and the full programme, visit www.springofculture.org or call 39900630.

Events schedule

FAMILY shows, stage performances, concerts, exhibitions and lectures will be held as part of the Spring of Culture festival. The festival, which is in its 13th edition, will run from February 25 to April 30, and is being organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca), the Economic Development Board (EDB) as well as the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research.

Some of the key events taking place during the two-month festival are: February 25 The Epic of Gilgamesh, Bahrain National Theatre, 8pm. February 27 The Sound and Light Show (every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday), Bahrain Fort, 6pm (English) 7pm (Arabic). February 28 Al Fann: Art from the Islamic Civilisation from the Al Sabah Collection by Professor Giovanni Curatola, Bahrain National Museum Lecture Hall, 6.30pm. March 1 Karima Skalli concert, Cultural Hall, 8pm. Mohammed bin Faris Band (every Thursday), Mohammed bin Fares Music Hall, 8pm. The Clown Beat, Nakheel Centre, 4pm. March 5 Maya Youssef performance, Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Centre for Culture and Research, 8pm. March 8 Macbeth by S4K, Cultural Hall, 11.30am and 6.30pm. Big Eats Small, Nakheel Centre, 4pm. March 9 Arab superstars Abdullah Rowaished and Nabeel Shuail, Bahrain Bay, 8.30pm. Macbeth by S4K, Cultural Hall, 6.30pm. Big Eats Small, at Riffa Palms at 4pm and at Saar Mall at 7pm. March 14 Korea Sookmyung Gayageum Orchestra, Cultural Hall, 8pm. March 16 The Right Fusion Concert, La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art, 8pm. March 17 Likwid and Friends, Bahrain Bay, 8.30pm. George’s Marvellous Medicine, Cultural Hall, 11.30am and 5.30pm. March 19 Parween Habib Jasmine Night (poetry), Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Centre for Culture and Research, 8pm. March 20 George’s Marvellous Medicine, Cultural Hall, 11.30am. March 22 Jerusalem Arabic Music Ensemble, Cultural Hall, 8pm. Thingamabob (street theatre), Prince Khalifa bin Salman Park Hidd at 4.30pm and Adliya 338 at 8pm. March 23 James Arthur, Bahrain Bay, 8.30pm. Thingamabob (street theatre), Saar Mall at 5pm, Elmercado Mall Janabiya at 7.30pm. March 24 Thingamabob (street theatre), Nakheel Centre, 5pm and 7.30pm. March 25 Duo Etnopolis (music), Cultural Hall, 8pm. March 27 Construction and Architecture of the Island of Muharraq (lecture), Bahrain Fort Site Museum, 7pm. Scenamadre Exhibition, Bahrain National Theatre, 7pm (open Tuesday to Sunday until May 27). March 28 The 18th Bahrain International Book Fair, Arad Fort (open until April 7). European Classical Music, Cultural Hall, 8pm. March 30 Arab superstar Ragheb Alaama, Bahrain Bay, 8.30pm. March 31 Mary Mcbride Band, Cultural Hall, 8pm. April 4 36 Abbas Street Haifa, Cultural Hall, 8pm. Music and Mirrors by Jamal Abdulrahim, Art Centre, 7pm (until April 30). April 6 Whirling Dervishes Ceremony, Cultural Hall, 8pm. April 9 Rashid Isa Therapy Through Poetry, House of Poetry: Ebrahim Al Arrayed, 8pm April 12 The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Cultural Hall, 4.30pm. April 14 The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Cultural Hall, 11am and 4pm. April 15 The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Cultural Hall, 10.30am and 4pm. April 16 The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Cultural Hall, 10.30am and 4pm. Hussein Shobokshi (lecture), Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Centre for Culture and Research, 8pm. April 30 Saad Jawad (music), Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Centre for Culture and Research, 8pm

 

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