• Yanni: “AlUla fascinates me. It is an inspirational place defined by its nature and history.”

Arab News, Jeddah

Greek pianist, composer and music producer Yanni will perform on Friday at the Maraya Concert Hall in AlUla as part of the Winter at Tantora festival.

The award-winning artist delivered an extraordinary concert in the opening season of the Winter at Tantora festival last year and will return to perform some of his most celebrated pieces at this year’s event.

The festival, organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla, features a variety of world heritage, cultural and artistic events inspired by AlUla’s history dating back thousands of years.

Yanni said: “AlUla fascinates me. It is an inspirational place defined by its nature and history.”

The Greek musician surprised his audience last year with a piece composed for the Kingdom, titled “Dreams Come True.”

On Friday, Yanni will be accompanied by an orchestra as he performs a string of internationally acclaimed works.

The concert, set against the dramatic backdrop of AlUla, will take place at the Maraya Concert Hall, a vast mirrored performance space that can hold up to 500 people.

The Tantora festival runs until March 7, with activities that merge Eastern and Western culture, highlighting AlUla’s history as a meeting point for different civilizations through the ages.

Visitors will be able to tour the historical heritage sites before their closure until October 2020. They will also be able to attend musical and artistic performances by some of the most respected artists in the Arab and international world.