Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Classics will host French harpist Xavier de Maistre for two captivating performances in the emirate as part of the 2018/19 season. Considered one of the most creative and extraordinary musicians of his generation, and the artist solely responsible for making the harp popular once again, de Maistre will perform on Thursday 6th December at the arts and culture hub Manarat Al Saadiyat on Saadiyat Island and on Friday 7th December at the historic Bin Hamoodah Fort in Al Ain.
A former student at the London School of Economics, de Maistre has dedicated his life to playing the harp and belongs to an elite category of soloists who are redefining the potential of their musical instruments. No other musician has so intently explored the different compositions written for this instrument, which is so central to the classical orchestra. His successful approach has propelled his albums to the top of the classical music charts and earned him numerous awards including ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the prestigious ECHO Klassik Awards 2009.
For his first, historic appearance in the UAE, de Maistre will play a programme inspired by Spanish classical music, mixing Impressionist and Modernist accents by focusing on French composers Debussy and Fauré.
Tickets for the eighth season of Abu Dhabi Classics are available through Virgin Megastores across the UAE.
For further information please visit www.abudhabimusic.ae and www.dctabudhabi.ae.
Abu Dhabi Classics is organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and produced by Flash Entertainment, the region’s premier live events company.
