Arab News Japan

The 22^nd Abu Dhabi Festival is set to open on Feb. 7 and will mark the Arab world premiere of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Yutaka Sado featuring Tenor Star Jonathan Tetelman.

Following the opening act, a second concert on Feb. 8 will feature celebrated pianist, Kyohei Sorita, at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

This year’s festival, which is organized by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, is held under the theme ‘Abu Dhabi – A World of Harmony,’ and celebrates over 50 years of friendship between the UAE and its country of honor: Japan.

Sorita, a silver medalist at the 2021 Chopin Competition, will join the evening by performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

The orchestra will also perform Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 (From the New World), a symphonic masterpiece inspired by the composer’s experiences in America.

On Feb. 8, the second headline performance will see Sorita return to the stage to perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and the orchestra plays Yasushi Akutagawa’s Triptyque for Strings and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 5 a work that explores themes of fate and triumph.

These two historic performances mark the beginning of an exceptional season at the Abu Dhabi Festival 2025.

Since its inception in 2004, Abu Dhabi Festival has grown into one of the world’s leading cultural platforms, showcasing over 600 performances, 120 world premieres, and 100 commissioned works, spanning more than 30 countries.