City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to make UAE debut in Abu Dhabi Classics Season

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, CBSO, will perform for the first time in Abu Dhabi this December, as part of the revitalised Abu Dhabi Classics international concert series. The orchestra, which is one of Britain’s longest-established musical institutions, founded in 1920, and whose first conductor was the celebrated English composer, Sir Edward Elgar, will deliver two performances in the emirate, including one on a floating stage on the Arabian Gulf as part of the celebrations to mark Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race fleet. A highlight of the CBSO tour will come on 15th December with the floating stage performance at Abu Dhabi city’s Corniche Breakwater. The following night, the orchestra will perform at the historic Al Jahili Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Abu Dhabi’s Oasis City of Al Ain. The tour is at the invitation of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, TCA Abu Dhabi, which has reintroduced, after a three-year break, the Abu Dhabi Classics season which will run in the emirate until May. CBSO Chief Executive, Stephen Maddock said, "We are thrilled that the CBSO has been invited to perform in the UAE for the first time. The CBSO tours regularly, this season taking in Munich, Paris, Vienna and Madrid amongst others. As classical music becomes ever more popular around the world, this opportunity to perform for new audiences in the UAE is very special. We hope that this visit to Abu Dhabi will be the first of many." Dr. Ronald Perlwitz, Head of Music Programming, TCA Abu Dhabi, said, "There are very few orchestras in the world able to play this range of repertoire at a world-class level, Elgar and Bruch the first night and the music from Star Wars or Bollywood blockbusters on the second. We were very happy when they accepted to be part of Abu Dhabi Classics and are looking forward to two amazing classical music nights that, we hope, will also be very attractive to new audiences." - Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395271957574.html