NSO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ABU DHABI TO ACCOMPANY GEORGE FENTON AT UAE CAPITAL’S VOLVO OCEAN RACE STOPOVER
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 8thOctober 2014: The NSO Symphony Orchestra, Abu Dhabi will be the 75-piece, orchestra that will perform the emotional and evocative musical score conducted by multi-award-winning composer George Fenton at the Blue Planet in Concert Live events in the UAE capital this December. The concerts, which will take place on the Corniche breakwater on 12th and 13th December, will open the Abu Dhabi stopover of the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race (VOR).
The BBC’s highly acclaimed Blue Planet in Concert Live combines spectacular, specially cut high definition footage from the award winning TV series – The Blue Planet – with music performed by a live orchestra. The show will raise the curtain on the three-week VOR stopover celebrations.
“This is an a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us and one which we are all excited about,” said Janet Hassouneh, Founder and Executive Director of the NSO Symphony Orchestra, Abu Dhabi. “Both the Volvo Ocean Race and Mr. Fenton are at the pinnacle of their world renowned areas of expertise, so it’s nothing short of an honour to have their confidence in our ability. Make no mistake, each and every member of the orchestra will give of their very best and the audience will not be disappointed!”
The NSO Symphony Orchestra, Abu Dhabi (www.nsouae.org) is an orchestra of excellence, promoting music within the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for current and future generations of nationals and expatriates. The orchestra was founded in 2011 and is made up of over 100 professional musicians who are all resident in the UAE. Their combined talent and passion for music never fails to move an audience, whether it is with classical and romantic orchestral repertoire, Arabic music, motion picture soundtracks, broadway hits or jazz.
Five times Oscar nominated composer, George Fenton, is best known for his work in film and television, having written scores for over 100 films and collaborating with some of the world’s most influential filmmakers. His film work ranges widely, from Groundhog Day with Bill Murray to Ghandi with Ben Kingsley.
Talking ahead of his first ever performance in the region, Fenton said, “The prospect of playing for the first time in Arabia, with the local NSO Orchestra on a floating stage beneath a 10 metre screen, promises to be the show's most spectacular setting yet”.
Tickets range from Platinum VIP seating in a hospitality terrace with cinema surround sound at AED 600 (US $164) to Gold seating at AED 500 (US $137) and Silver at AED 300 (US $82), both at floor level. Tickets can be bought online through the exclusive ticketing partner, Time Out Tickets http://www.itp.net/tickets/blueplanet/ or in person at the box office in Dubai Media City.
Hosted by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), the stopover festival will take place in a purpose-built VOR Destination Village, the size of five football pitches, on the UAE capital’s Corniche Breakwater, packed with edutainment and entertainment and highlighting Abu Dhabi’s union with the sea and its maritime heritage. There’ll be dhow racing, pearl diving showcases, traditional sea shanty performances, ocean conservation exhibitions and activities such as turtle conservation talks.
Up to 200,000 people are expected to visit Abu Dhabi’s VOR Destination Village, which will be open to the public from 12th December until 3rd January, when the race fleet departs for its next endurance sailing leg to Sanya, China.
