This highly anticipated performance forms an integral part of the Festival’s abroad programme with additional performances scheduled for June 3, June 7, and concluding on June 10. This joint production is a collaboration between Abu Dhabi Festival, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Quebec Opera, and comes three years after the initial premiere in New York.
Following the success of the 2020 premiere of The Flying Dutchman, which marked the historic first-ever collaboration between the Metropolitan Opera and an Arab institution, Abu Dhabi Festival is pleased to present the return of Richard Wagner’s masterpiece at New York’s renowned opera house, where under the baton of Maestro Thomas Guggeis, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, together with tenor Eric Cutler and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy bring the influential composer’s timeless tale of redemption and love to life.
Her Excellency Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, Founder and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival
Her Excellency added: “Our co-production with the Metropolitan Opera and Opera de Quebec reflects the Festival’s 20-year commitment to partnering with the world’s most esteemed institutions to create innovative new works and productions while providing opportunities for audiences in Abu Dhabi and beyond to discover exceptional talents from around the globe.”
The powerful voices of renowned bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny, soprano Elza van den Heever, tenor Eric Cutler, and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy together with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by Thomas Guggeis with theatre direction by François Girard from the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center will captivate audiences of the classic story which has inspired authors, poets, and artists throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
As one of the Metropolitan Opera season’s main highlights, this extraordinary show incorporates cutting-edge technologies, including visual projections and motion capture technology which will enhance the immersive experience, complemented by sound effects, duets, and solo dialogues. The theatrical orchestral performance creates a spellbinding atmosphere, transporting the audience on a unique journey of love, redemption and sacrifice.
Abu Dhabi Festival is delighted to present ‘The Flying Dutchman’ as a highlight of its 20th edition. With a careful blend of tradition and innovation, this opera promises to captivate audiences and showcase the magnificence of Richard Wagner’s beloved masterpiece. Join us at the Metropolitan Opera Theater in New York City from May 30 to June 10, 2023, for an unforgettable experience.
About the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF)
Founded in 1996, ADMAF is one of the oldest, not-for-profit cultural organisations in the Arabian Gulf. Pioneering new artistic practices, it seeks to deepen global cross-cultural dialogue and inspire a renewed interest in the creativity of the UAE and Arab world. Often in partnership with leading national and international institutions, it delivers multidisciplinary initiatives for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities through the Abu Dhabi Festival, year-round youth platforms and community programmes.
For more information, please visit https://www.instagram.com/admafsocial/
About Abu Dhabi Festival
Founded in 2004, the Festival was generously granted the patronage of the President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, from 2007 to 2011. The first Abu Dhabi Festival was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the then Minister of Information and Culture (currently the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation).
Abu Dhabi Festival is the festival of “Bilad Al Khayr”, the land of blessings, the land of Zayed, and embraces the values of dialogue, tolerance, respect and peace.
