Dubai Opera House
Dubbed “the most prestigious square kilometer in the world,” the Dubai Opera House is located in downtown Dubai at the Opera District where it shows performances year round. The building’s design is inspired by Dubai’s history with boats as a detailed yet modern homage. Three “modes,” a theater, concert hall, and event hall lend the Opera House the ability to become a variety of venues. Seating 2000 at a time, the building also hosts events like lectures, exhibitions, and weddings. Additionally, the Dubai Opera House offers a rooftop restaurant and sky garden which provide views of the city’s other attractions.
From opera to ballet, the Dubai Opera House provides the most ideal acoustics for their audiences to have the singers and orchestrations be best heard and appreciated. Renown opera singers performing are mainly featured in concerts celebrating their talent. Examples who appear at the building include Jonas Kaufmann and Angela Gheorghiu. Regarding classical musicians shown like Khatia Buniatishvili and David Garrett, they too perform through concerts where they are part of the attraction or the focus. For ballet, the Dubai Opera House reworks the experience by having the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky reinterpreted as an ice show with magic and acrobatics.
Other more contemporary forms of music at the Dubai Opera House involve seasonal renditions of popular musicals. Such musicals that make an appearance in the building are West Side Story, Les Miserables, and Cats. Performances with jazz music as the theme also serve as a noteworthy mention. The same would go for those artists whose style is a blend of multiple musical elements. Two performers who exemplify the building’s intentions towards modern artistry are Jamie Cullum the “most successful UK jazz artist ever” and Sami Yusuf a musician and composer whose work is “inspired by traditions from East to West.”
Among the Dubai Opera House’s many concerts, the most anticipated is the White Nights in Dubai musical festival. Scheduled from March 30 to April 8 2017, the event unites a medley of performers and musical styles in the name of celebrating them. As a result then, the festival will be the first of its kind to happen in the Middle East. Furthermore, not just different forms of music will be brought together but different ethnicities as well, making the event a true multicultural experience. In short, the festival will encompass all the artistic values held by the Dubai Opera House.
Regarding what to do for the Dubai Opera House’s performances, its official website recommends a visitor should enjoy “light refreshments” or “gourmet food” to accompany attendance. To further their point, the Opera House website lists recommendations for where to eat out nearby. From eight dining locations along with at the Opera House, there is Ristorante, Prive, Hashi, Asado, La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie, and Thiptara. Given that over half those restaurants are from local hotels, the website is aware of the appeal the building has to tourists. Thus, the Opera House goes out of its way to welcome them especially.
Besides advice on picking restaurants, the Dubai Opera House provides other means of helping its visitors through its website. For instance, visitors with disabilities can make a request in advance for lifts or special parking to ensure that their experience is enjoyable. Assistance is also available online when it comes to picking seats in the building for a scheduled performance. Then, in case that one of the events at the Opera House has been canceled or rescheduled, customers are offered a refund or a change of ticket. As for visitors who live outside Dubai, print at home delivery is available.
Finally, in terms of the costs for each show and event, the Dubai Opera House goes out of its way there likewise to give its audiences manageable prices. While there are no refunds or exchanges because of a customer’s change in circumstance and schedule, the Opera House does offer the chance to buy one of their gift vouchers. Group booking is also possible for up to 10 tickets per order. However, it is important for customers to keep in mind the age restrictions that no children under two years old are allowed entry unless a performance is for all ages.
