Anouska is the daughter of renowned sitar maestro, the late Pandit Ravi Shankar. The event is being anchored by musical maestro AR Rahman.
Firdaus Orchestra, an all-women ensemble, and Anoushka Shankar, multiple Grammy-nominated sitar player, producer, film composer and activist, will perform at the Expo 2020 Dubai in Jubilee Park on Sunday, February 6.
Anouska is the daughter of renowned sitar maestro, the late Pandit Ravi Shankar. The event is being anchored by musical maestro AR Rahman.
AR Rahman said: “Representation in music is powerful. It’s incredible to welcome a musical powerhouse such as Anoushka Shankar to perform with the inspiring Firdaus Orchestra. To fill a void left behind by the master world-music icon Pandit Ravi Shankar is not easy, but his daughter Anoushka has gracefully stepped into the void with her own powerful voice, talent and courage to do brilliant collaborations with masterful elegance. Both Firdaus Orchestra and Anoushka symbolise a shift in the arts towards a more inclusive and beautiful world. It brings me immense joy to stage this show at the Expo 2020 Dubai.”
Multitalented Shankar, who has picked up seven Grammy nominations during her career and is the youngest and first woman to receive a British House of Commons Shield, said she cannot wait to experience first-hand the “iconic” Expo 2020 Dubai.
Shankhar opined: “From childhood, music has taught everything from memorisation and number patterns to spirituality and the art of cultivating a craft. It has also opened my heart to empathy and connection with other humans. Empathy is at the heart of any generous act and central to any activism.”
The Firdaus orchestra is made up of 23 nationalities from across the Arab world, with an age range from 16 to 51.The orchestra’s conductor Yasmina Sabbah said she was “honoured” to be performing with Anoushka Shankar.
The conductor said: “I am so excited to resume our season with a very special concert. The eclectic repertoire, ranging from great symphonic works to contemporary and oriental compositions, represents the diversity this orchestra has to offer.”
The upcoming show will feature a wide and varied repertoire, from Shankar’s virtuoso sitar performance to music from Rossini’s classic opera The Barber of Seville, as well as The Khorumi, a Georgian war dance.
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