The premiere is part of Abu Dhabi Festival’s ongoing mission to contribute to culture and art globally
The Abu Dhabi Festival presented the world premiere of L’Apocalypse Arabe, an opera co-produced with the pioneering experimental cultural institution the LUMA Foundation in France. The premiere was held under the sponsorship of its main partner Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), and as part of the programme of its 18th edition, held under the theme ‘The Future Starts Now’,
Staged on July 4 and 5 July at the Luma Arles’ Grande Halle, Parc des Ateliers, the premiere is part of Abu Dhabi Festival’s ongoing mission to contribute to culture and art globally through commissioning and producing works around the world.
The festival will provide audiences with 16 exciting world premieres, 12 festival productions, eight global co-productions and four exclusive commissions, with 1 global music tour.
Additionally, ‘The Future Starts Now,’ the year-long programme for the 18th edition of Abu Dhabi Festival, combines a unique hybrid programme of virtual and in-person performances, exhibitions and events leveraging the latest digital technology, and with the participation of over 500 artists from more than 50 countries.
The festival will provide audiences with 16 exciting world premieres, 12 festival productions, eight global co-productions and four exclusive commissions, with 1 global music tour.
Based on its clear vision to adapt to the rapid digital transformation and the sustainability of cultural initiatives, Abu Dhabi Festival combines a unique hybrid programme of virtual and in-person performances, exhibitions and events leveraging the latest digital technology.
Her Excellency Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, and Founder and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival said, “We are delighted to partner with Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and the LUMA Foundation to bring the legendary Etel Adnan’s masterpiece, L’Apocalypse Arabe, to life.
The Festival’s co-production is a historic opportunity to present HE Huda’s poetry and artwork on a global stage with composer Samir Odeh-Tamimi and director Pierre Audi. L’Apocalypse Arabe is based on the legendary epic poems of Lebanese-American poet and visual artist Etel Adnan.
It was written at the height of the Lebanese Civil War, and the poems represent the impact of Arab culture and the disaster caused by war
His Excellency Xavier Chatel, French Ambassador to the UAE, said: “As a longstanding fan and a yearly attendee of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, I am very excited that the world premiere of L’Apocalypse Arabe will take place there this year. The event is a beautiful example of a French Emirati cooperation, between ADMAF and the Luma Foundation. It is also a beautiful example of Abu Dhabi Festival’s efforts to bring the work of Arab artists to wider audiences around the world”
Avante garde Palestinian-Israeli composer Samir Odeh-Tamimi has written the music and the Music and libretto for the opera, which is directed by accomplished French-Lebanese theatre director and artistic director Pierre Audi. It is performed by Frankfurt-based Ensemble Modern, a leading New Music ensemble of diverse musicians from across Europe and Asia, and conducted by the notable Ivan Volkov, in a co-production with the pioneering experimental cultural institution, the LUMA Foundation in France.
Opera Director Pierre Audi says: “I am delighted to be working again with Abu Dhabi Festival to present a work of art that beautifully interprets Etel Adnan’s message decrying intolerance and hatred, a message that is as urgent today as it was when she wrote it over 40 years ago. It is wonderful to see that Abu Dhabi Festival is engaging global artists to reach audiences with a call for peace.”
Composer Samir Odeh-Tamimi says: “It is my pleasure to be part of Abu Dhabi Festival to realise a dream of mine that is over 20 years old. L’Apocalypse Arabe had a profound impact on me, and I have thought of it daily since I read it in 2001. Seeing this project come to fruition is a dream come true. This opera has been a creative experience like no other, and I am confident that with the hard work of our team, it communicated Etel Adnan’s vision truly and powerfully.”
