The Abu Dhabi Festival 2010, organised by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), has come to a close following a three-week whirlwind tour through many cultural genres. There were over 90 events spanning opera, classical, jazz, Arabic and popular operatic music, the visual arts, puppetry, drama and storytelling among others. Held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the festival attracted over 26,000 people attending events across the UAE.

While some of the world’s leading performers delighted audiences, education program events were attended by 7,000 people and involved schools, universities and the general public who gained insights from leading musicians and artists. A grassroots community program reaching all seven Emirates with 3,000 people attending a wide range of events which celebrated the love of the arts in the UAE.

Abu Dhabi Festival 2010 was a global platform where leading cultural figureheads interacted through debate and forged new partnerships. ADMAF introduced the first ever Festival Debate series which explored themes such as the impact of festivals on host cities, the future of opera and Emirati art. ADMAF also used the Festival to forge new and important partnerships for future cultural development by signing two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with leading international organizations.

ADMAF signed an MOU with the renowned Queen Elizabeth College of Music (La Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth - CMRE) in Belgium. Founded in 1929, CMRE aims to promote and develop musical talent among young musicians which it does through collaborative agreements with cultural institutions in Belgium and abroad. Under the MOU, ADMAF will collaborate with CMRE on productions by its opera students and laureate prize-winning musicians and will also explore co-productions and scholastic support for promising young musicians from the Middle East .

Another significant agreement was signed with Fondazione Arena di Verona, a non-profit-making Italian organization based in the historic amphitheatre of Verona, Italy, which is principally devoted to the development of musical and cultural activity and musical education. ADMAF and Fondazione Arena di Verona will be working together to develop the understanding and appreciation of classical music and opera in the UAE, to explore co-productions and to establish a student exchange program.

H.E. Hoda al Khamis Kanoo comments:

“The Festival was a global symphony of cultures with over 90 performances spanning world-famous names to community events with unique collaborations and world premieres taking centre stage. Importantly, the Festival is leaving a lasting legacy in enhancing the cultural appreciation, education and participation in Abu Dhabi.

“We reflect the determination of Abu Dhabi to take the lead in cultural understanding by using the Festival as a platform for debate and partnership. The introduction of the Festival Debates was an important move and the international partnerships developed through agreements with leading international cultural bodies will help us to enhance cultural activity and education in Abu Dhabi and position the UAE capital as a major destination for cultural enlightenment.”

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