Abu Dhabi Festival Headline Performances

1. New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra│Yutaka Sado│Jonathan Tetelman│Kyohei Sorita

7 February 2025

Emirates Palace Auditorium-Abu Dhabi-8:00 PM

The New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1972 by legendary conductors Seiji Ozawa and Naozumi Yamamoto. Charismatic Japanese conductor, Yutaka Sado, has been the music director since 2023 and he conducts two concerts to open the 2025 Abu Dhabi Festival. In the first concert, star tenor Jonathan Tetelman, praised for his ‘radiant and distinctive sound’, sings Arias by Puccini from Manon Lescaut, Le villi and Turandot. The pianist Kyohei Sorita, winner of the silver medal at the 2021 Chopin Competition in Warsaw, plays Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto no. 2 and the orchestra plays Dvořák’s New World Symphony no. 9.

2. New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra│Yutaka Sado│Kyohei Sorita

8 February 2025

Emirates Palace Auditorium-Abu Dhabi-8:00 PM

In the second concert for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Festival, rising star pianist Kyohei Sorita plays Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto no. 1 and the orchestra plays Yasushi Akutagawa’s Triptyque for Strings and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 5. With his world-renowned signature sound, Sorita’s artistry has made him one of the most sought-after artists on the Japanese concert scene. Beyond his home country he has become increasingly popular in Germany and Austria, Poland and Australia, particularly in the 19th-century Romantic repertory.

3. Ramadan Spiritual concert

7 March 2025 (digital)

On this special Ramadan evening, the ‘Sheikh of Egyptian chanters’, renowned Inshad master, Sheikh Mahmoud El-Tohamy, offers a rich and diverse performance that bridges the past and the present. The programme will celebrate the timeless art of spiritual chanting by blending traditional heritage with modern interpretations. It will feature selections from the works of great classical poets, including Hassan ibn Thabit, the poet of the Prophet and one of the earliest chanters, Ibn Arabi and Ibn al-Farid, iconic figures of 7th-century Hijri Sufi poetry. Al-Mutanabbi, Al-Busiri, and Al-Buhturi, masters of classical Arabic verse. This soulful presentation will take the audience on a journey through history, culture, and spirituality, highlighting the profound beauty of inshad.

4. Kodo

8-9 April 2025

The Red Theater-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

This troupe of highly skilled drummers delivers a thrilling theatrical experience that transcends language and cultural boundaries. Since the group’s debut at the Berliner Festspiele in 1981, Kodo has given over 7,000 performances in more than 50 countries and regions on five continents. In Japanese, the word ‘kodo’ can have two meanings – it can be translated as ‘heartbeat’, the primal source of all rhythm, and in a different context it can mean ‘children of the drum’, which reflects the group’s desire to play the drums with the simple heart of a child. The largest of the taiko drums that they play can weigh up to three tonnes and are made from the trunk of a single tree. Kodo have performed in theatres around the world and every year since 1988 have presented the Earth Celebration, an international arts celebration in collaboration with the people of Sado Island in the eastern part of the Sea of Japan.

5. Yunchan Lim

11 April 2025

The Red Theater-New York University-Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

A phenomenally thrilling talent, pianist Yunchan Lim is the youngest person in history to win the gold medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, at the age of 18, in 2022. Lim has been recognised by the conductor Marin Alsop as ‘a rare artist who brings profound musicality and prodigious technique organically together’ and has himself stated that ‘I have made up my mind that I will live my life only for the sake of music… I wanted my music to become deeper, and if that desire reached the audience, I am satisfied’. His prize-winning performance of Liszt’s Transcendental Études from the Van Cliburn competition was released in July 2023 creating, as reported by Gramophone magazine, ‘a buzz throughout the international piano competition’. For the 2025 Abu Dhabi Festival, Lim plays the gold standard of works, JS Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

6. Kuniko Kato

14 April 2025

The Blue Hall-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

Kuniko Kato is a dazzling prodigy percussionist whose career has taken her all around the world, from Japan to the Netherlands and beyond. She is equally proficient in traditional and contemporary works, particularly admired for her interpretations of Iannis Xenakis, Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt and Unsuk Chin. Her style is sensitive, intuitive and immensely expressive, imbued with an elegant and profound musical intelligence. She has made several very successful recordings, including Kuniko Plays Reich, which features multi-tracked arrangements of classic 1980s minimalist works by Steve Reich, and which has been a bestseller since its release in 2011.

7. Katia and Marielle Labeque

16 April 2025

The Red Theater-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

The remarkable sibling piano duo have devised a typically original and innovative musical programme for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Festival. They have played with major international orchestras, with renowned conductors, with Baroque ensembles and have showcased an array of music from 20th and 21^st century composers including Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Boulez, Thomas Adès and Nico Muhly. The dynamic duo have formed a special relationship with the composer Philip Glass, whose music begins and finishes their recital, First In La Belle et la Bête, inspired by Jean Cocteau’s film, and then in a work inspired by Cocteau again, his novel Les Enfants Terribles. In sync with the storytelling theme, the central work of their programme is Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose), with its exquisite fairy-tale episodes.

8. Korean National University of Arts Symphony Orchestra │Chi-Yong Chung │Jaewon Wee│Sang Hyeok Park

18 April 2025

The Red Theater-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

An exciting visit by the Korean National University of Arts Symphony Orchestra conducted by Chi-Yong Chung. The orchestra has made a major contribution to the musical life of Korea since it was founded in 1993, with performances of Korean music along with major works from the Western classical repertory. International tours have brought enthusiastic new audiences and for the Abu Dhabi Festival they perform a programme of Brahms and Tchaikovsky, preceded by an extract from the ballet Princess Bari by the Korean composer Geon-yong Lee, who studied in Seoul and Frankfurt, and combines traditions in a uniquely powerful and moving fashion.

9. Jessica Pratt │Javier Camarena

Korean National University of Arts Symphony Orchestra │ Toufic Maatouk

20 April 2025

The Red Theater-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

The star soprano and tenor Jessica Pratt and Javier Camarena bring their artistry to a thrilling opera gala with the Korean National University of Arts Symphony Orchestra conducted by Toufic Maatouk. Hailed by the New York Times as possessing ‘gleaming sound, free and easy high notes, agile coloratura runs and lyrical grace’, Jessica Pratt is one of today’s most admired interpreters of the Bel Canto repertoire. Mexican Opera star Javier Camarena was recently recognised as Male Singer of the Year by the International Opera Awards and has made a name for himself in operas by Puccini, Bellini, Donizetti and Mozart. They will sing Arias and duets from Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Mascagni, Massenet and Verdi.

10. Augustin Hadelich

21 April 2025

The Blue Hall-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

In a wonderfully contrasting programme of old and new music, dazzling violinist Augustin Hadelich plays works by Bach, Coleridge-Taylor, Ysaÿe and David Lang. Born in Italy to German parents he studied in New York before winning the International Violin Competition in Indianapolis. His career has since taken him all around the world, playing with orchestras and giving solo recitals. He won a Grammy award for his recording of Dutilleux’s violin concerto L’Arbre des Songes and has also made recordings of the Brahms, Ligeti and Dvořák’s Violin Concertos, and of Bach’s Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin.

11. All-Star Ballet Gala

22 April 2025

The Red Theater-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

Abu Dhabi Festival presents a dazzling ballet gala featuring the world’s most celebrated dancers. Representing prestigious ballet companies from around the world, including the Royal Ballet, Bayerisches Staatsballett, Paris Opera Ballet, and Stuttgart Ballet, these exceptional artists will captivate audiences with their artistry and technical brilliance. The program covers a stunning mix of iconic classical repertoire and contemporary masterpieces. Highlights include performances by Jinhao Zhang and Madison Young of Bayerisches Staatsballett (both Prix de Lausanne winners), Stuttgart Ballet’s Principal Dancers Martí Paixà and Elisa Badenes (Youth America Grand Prix), and, from the Royal Ballet, Principal Dancer Ryoichi Hirano (Prix de Lausanne) and First Soloist Melissa Hamilton (Youth America Grand Prix). A star-studded night to remember!

12. Unique Encounters with Rising Stars

Yamen Saadi│Sara Ferrandez│ Kian Soltani│Pablo Ferrandez                                     

26 April 2025

The Red Theater-New York University Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

The violinist Yamen Saadi returns to the Abu Dhabi Festival leading a lineup of exceptional talent, playing alongside the violist Sara Ferrandez and star cellists Kian Soltani and Pablo Ferrandez. Presenting a phenomenal blend of international talent: Saadi, born in Nazareth, joined the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at 11, became concertmaster at 17, and by 25 was leading both the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic; Sara Ferrandez from Madrid, also a member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic’s Karajan Academy and Anne-Sophie Mutter’s Virtuosi ensemble; Kian Soltani, born in Bregenz to a family of Persian musicians, gained global recognition after winning the Helsinki International Cello Competition in 2013 and recently earned the Innovative Listening Experience Award for his album Cello Unlimited; and Pablo Ferrandez, praised for his technique, spirit, charm and authority as a soloist, received an Opus Klassik Award for his album, Reflections.

13. Riley Mulherkar

29 April 2025

The Black Box-New York University- Abu Dhabi-7:30 PM

Talented trumpeter Riley Mulherkar is a founding member of The Westerlies, a New-York based brass quartet who play a mix of jazz, modern classical and folk. Riley has been described as ‘über hip, modern yet timeless’ and was given Lincoln Center’s Emerging Artist Award in 2020 for his work as ‘an original bandleader, composer, arranger, community activist and advocate for jazz and the arts’.

Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad, Visual Arts initiatives, and Education & community outreach programs:

Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad

Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad will feature the world premiere of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, a co-production with the Opera National de Paris. The festival is also co-producing the Queen Sofia School of Music Symphony Orchestra’s US tour. In addition, Faraj Abyad will perform at The Met Museum while a special performance featuring Emirati musicians will take place at Kensington. The season will also include an upcoming co-production with the Opéra National de Lyon (world premiere) and a UN chamber concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall. 

Visual Arts

The Festival will also forge new connections with the East through a historic and unique intuitional collaboration in visual arts with the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), featuring co-curated exhibitions, artist residencies, and public programs that foster cultural exchange and artistic dialogue.

The exhibition in Abu Dhabi will explore Korea’s contemporary art evolution, engaging the UAE’s art scene, while the exhibition in Seoul will highlight UAE artists addressing the interplay of local and global identities. The partnership includes co-commissioned works, artist film screenings, and cross-institutional knowledge sharing, promoting transnational understanding and creative collaboration.

This long-term collaboration between Abu Dhabi Festival and Seoul Museum of Art brings together the UAE and South Korea through their artists and institutions. In 2025, exhibitions in each capital will trace distinctive histories and contemporary landscapes where tradition meets new cultural paradigms. Shared experiences will be presented alongside culturally-specific perspectives on technology, media, and rapid urban development to consider how local contexts mediate contact with an increasingly interconnected world.

Education & Community Outreach Programme

From February 2025, ADMAF will launch their annual education and outreach programme – as part of the Festival – featuring talks, rehearsals, masterclasses, mini-concerts and more. This will include the return of the beloved “Festival in the Park” at Umm Al Emarat Park on 12 – 13 April 2025, offering two days of inclusive creativity. Highlights include free workshops by local and international talents, some of which highlight Japanese art and culture, celebrating Japan as Abu Dhabi Festival 2025’s guest country of honour.