Exciting activities at Abu Dhabi Festival 2010

The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) has finally announced the details of their pogram - the heart of the festival is the theme “Bilad Al Khayr” or “The Land of Blessings”, which brings together communities in a shared love of music, arts and culture.

The program of 35 diverse events will include musical performances, storytelling, photography, film, workshops and community cultural groups.

One of the core themes of the community program this year is reviving the art of storytelling. Stories can be told with both pictures and words, and this year’s Festival will showcase a Hakawati tour, which will visit seven locations across the Emirates to perform entertaining short plays inspired by stories of “The Arabian Nights”, a traditional Emirati storyteller known as Al Raawiya, which will showcase the unique identity of the Emirates; and finally a world premiere showing of “The Adventures of Prince Ahmed” the oldest, full length animated feature in the cinematic history, created in 1920s Germany and inspired by the stories of The “Arabian Nights” and “One Thousand and One Nights.”



The Abu Dhabi Festival will take place from 20 March to 7 April and is a three-week manifestation of world-class performances in traditional, classical and jazz music, drama, fine arts, and ballet. HE Hoda I. Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, comments:

Highlights
***Traditional Arabic story-telling by acclaimed traditional storyteller Ahmed Yousef. The tour will take place in Sharjah Women’s College, UAE University in Al Ain, Fujairah Cultural Theatre, Children City Auditorium in Dubai, ADMA Theatre in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah Cultural Theatre and Um Al Quwain Cultural Theatre.

***A screening of the oldest, full length animated feature film in the history of cinema, ‘The Adventures of Prince Ahmed’, which is re-released for a one-off screening in Abu Dhabi.


***The Arts & Medicine Institute will hold a forum on the healing link between music and medicine for medical experts and artists at the Cleveland Clinic Symposium.

***Media presenter, Ali Alsaloom, will take participants on a fascinating one-day experience for the residents and newcomers to the UAE into the cultures and customs of the Emirates in the Embrace Arabia Cultural Tour in Abu Dhabi’s Heritage Village. He will also conduct the Ask Ali Cultural Workshop Lecture in Dubai. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of the region’s culture, while revealing enchanting stories of the UAE through a thought-provoking seminar. Events will take place at Heritage Village in Abu Dhabi and Knowledge Village in Dubai.

There are many more exciting activities. The Abu Dhabi Festival 2010 tickets are available from Virgin Megastores and www.timeouttickets.com with part of the proceeds going to the Ewa’a Shelter for Women and Children.