Last May, the Royal Opera House Muscat announced Season 2018-2019 with a wonderful array of operas, ballets, recitals, symphonic concerts, shows, and some of the greatest names in Arab music. This highly anticipated season begins soon with a stunning line-up for the month of September.
Placido Domingo’s Gala Zarzuela, Sept 6th & 8th, 7:00 pm
ROHM’s new season gets off to a spectacular start with the most famous living tenor in the world, Plácido Domingo presenting his own specially designed Gala Zarzuela, an evening of charming operetta-like musical plays. Plácido began his career at an early age performing this quintessentially Spanish music genre with its compelling fusion of song, prose and dance, and it remains close to his heart. The evening also features a dance that everyone loves – flamenco! Fiercely proud, high-impact performers from one of Spain’s finest flamenco companies, Compañía Antonio Gades, will thrill audiences with their dramatic artistry.
As the star singer, Plácido Domingo will perform with Grammy-Award-winning soprano, Ana Maria Martinez and tenor Arturo Chacón Cruz, winner of the 2005 Operalia competition. The orchestra of Fondazione Arena di Verona is conducted by Jordi Bernàcer.
Fuego, Sept 7th, 7:00 pm
Arising out of magical Andalusian folk myths and cinematic in scope, this classically elegant, dream-like ballet enacts the tale of a beautiful gypsy girl tormented by the ghost of her husband. A fusion of ballet and flamenco, the work was originally created by Spain’s greatest dancer and choreographer, Antonio Gades in collaboration with the brilliant filmmaker, Carlos Saura. Fuego means fire and the performance lives up to the flaming brightness, warmth and passion evoked by its name. This is ballet as never seen before.
Nasser Shamma with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, Sept 10th, 7:00 pm
The acclaimed Iraqi oud musician and composer, Naseer Shamma is renowned for his unique instrumental style and for his contributions as an ‘Artist of Peace’. In 1999, he founded Egypt’s prestigious House of Arabian Oud. Expanding the global scope of his work, Shamma engages in dialogue with international artists through fruitful East-West exchange. He has composed countless works for theatre, television and radio, receiving high honours and winning many awards. Lebanese conductor, Andre El Hajj conducts the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra.
Prince Igor, Opera by Alexander Borodin, Sept 14th, 7:00pm
The first opera of ROHM’s new season is a spectacular work dramatising one of the greatest Russian epic tales of all time: Prince Igor of Seversk’s courageous, but ill-fated military campaign in twelfth-century Russia. Authentically staged, this grand historical drama of a defeated commander held captive while his princedom is in peril, relates a powerful, archetypal story of love across enemy lines and the eventual triumph of ideals over opportunism.
The Mariinsky Theatre performs Prince Igor in a sumptuous production with one of the world’s finest conductors, Maestro Valery Gergiev directing the Theatre’s Orchestra, Chorus & Ballet. Gergiev interprets Borodin’s majestic score with stunning vision and the orchestra plays with consummate skill and virtuosity.
A pre-performance talk (PPT) is held prior to the performance. Admission is restricted to ticket-holders.
Valery Gergiev with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Sept 28th, 7:00 pm
Superstar Valery Gergiev reigns as one of the world’s most illustrious conductors. In his enduring role as Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Gergiev is credited with almost single-handedly elevating the institution beyond its historic greatness. Since the early 1990’s Gergiev has also conducted both operatic and orchestral repertoire at important venues around the world. At ROHM, Maestro Gergiev will direct the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and Chorus in two magnificent works: the orchestral version of Stravinsky’s score for his famous ballet, The Firebird and Prokofiev’s monumental symphonic work, Alexander Nevsky, op.78, a glorious cantata.
For booking and further information on these five great performances, consult the ROHM website: www.rohmuscat.org.om
