Dubai Opera

In January 2015, Emaar named Jasper Hope as the Chief Executive of Dubai Opera. Hope was the COO of London's Royal Albert Hall.{{Cite web|publisher=Emirates 24/7|title=Emaar names Jasper Hope CEO of Dubai Opera|date=February 11, 2015|access-date=March 16, 2015|url=http://www.emirates247.com/business/corporate/emaar-names-jasper-hope-ceo-of-dubai-opera-2015-02-11-1.580430}} Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) was the main contractor for the development, having worked with Emaar in building the Dubai Mall.{{Cite web|author=James Henderson|publisher=Construction Week Online|title=Dubai Opera House to be finished in two years|date=June 10, 2014|access-date=March 16, 2015|url=http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-28565-dubai-opera-house-to-be-finished-in-two-years/}}

An earlier proposal to build a cultural centre on an island in the Dubai Creek designed by architect Zaha Hadid was announced in 2008 and shelved during the property crash in Dubai. This venue, located in The Lagoons, would have accommodated an opera house with a 2,500 seating capacity, an 800-seat playhouse, a {{convert|54,000|sqft|sqm|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} arts gallery, a performing arts school, and a '6-star' themed hotel.{{cite web|url=http://www.dezeen.com/2008/06/06/dubai-opera-house-by-zaha-hadid/ |title=Dubai Opera House by Zaha Hadid |publisher=Dezeen.com |date=2008-06-06 |access-date=2015-04-17}}

The first Emirati singer to appear at Dubai Opera was Hussain Al Jassmi on 10 October 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://whatson.ae/2016/07/world-class-singer-hussain-al-jassmi-perform-dubai-opera/|title=World-class singer Hussain Al Jassmi to perform at Dubai Opera|date=2016-07-03|website=What's On|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-30}}

Shortly after that, the award-winning hit musical Les Misérables ran for three weeks.{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/theatre/meet-dubais-les-miserables-cast-1.1917926|title=Meet Dubai’s Les Miserables cast|website=gulfnews.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}

In 2017 the venue staged the inaugural BBC Proms Dubai - just the second time ever that the United Kingdom's premier classical music series hosted events abroad in its 112-year history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/egbzc8|title=BBC Proms Dubai: First Night of the Proms|website=BBC Music Events|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}

Dubai Opera's longest running show was the Phantom of the Opera in late 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://whatson.ae/2019/10/review-a-triumphant-opening-night-for-the-phantom-of-the-opera-dubai/|title=Review: A triumphant opening night for The Phantom Of The Opera|date=2019-10-17|website=What's On|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-31}}

In just under 4 years of operation, Dubai Opera has won a number of awards including 'Best Theatrical Performance' at the Timeout Dubai Nightlife Awards 2017 for Les Misérables,{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeoutdubai.com/gallery/76242-time-out-nightlife-awards-2017-winners|title=Time Out Nightlife Awards 2017 winners|website=Time Out Dubai|language=en|access-date=2020-03-31}} 'Favorite Show' at the 2017 What's On Awards Dubai for Les Misérables,{{Cite web|url=https://whatson.ae/2017/11/whats-awards-2017-dubai-53-winners/|title=What's On Awards 2017 Dubai: Here are the 53 winners...|date=2017-11-09|website=What's On|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-31}} and 'Best Theatrical Performance' at the Timeout Dubai Music and Nightlife Awards 2019 for Othello.

As per 2023, the Italian cultural manager Paolo Petrocelli serves as the Head of Dubai Opera.{{Cite web|url=https://operawire.com/paolo-petrocelli-to-become-head-of-dubai-opera-house/|title=Paolo Petrocelli to Become Head of Dubai Opera House|website=Opera Wire|language=en|access-date=2023-03-01}}{{Cite web|url=https://iicuae.com/en/paolo-petrocelli-diventa-direttore-dellopera-di-dubai/|title=The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Dubai congratulates Paolo Petrocelli on his new appointment as Director of the Dubai Opera|website=Italian Chamber of Commerce in Dubai|language=en|access-date=2023-03-01}} For his contributions to the development of the organization, Paolo Petrocelli has been nominated in 2024 by Fast Company among the most creative people in business in the Middle East.{{Cite web|url=https://fastcompanyme.com/most-creative-people/paolo-petrocelli/|title=Paolo Petrocelli|website=Fast Company|language=en|access-date=2024-07-11}}

The 2023-24 season of Dubai Opera featured a record-breaking 250,000 audience members, the highest number since its opening in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music-stage/2024/06/04/dubai-opera-audience-record/|title=Dubai Opera sets attendance record in 2023-2024 season|website=The National|language=en|access-date=2023-07-11}}

File:Inside the Dubai Opera.jpg

Dubai Opera is part of The Opera District within Downtown Dubai. The 1901-seat performing arts centre was designed by Janus Rostock of Atkins.{{Cite web|publisher=Arabian Business Magazine|title=Top 40 most powerful architects in the Middle East|access-date=April 24, 2016|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/top-40-most-powerful-architects-in-middle-east-2016-618140.html?view=profile&itemid=618050#.Vxy0Ck3VzDc The theatre was conceived and briefed by Theatre Projects Consultants,{{Cite web|url=http://theatreprojects.com/en/project/view/544/dubai-opera|title=Projects - Theatre Projects|website=theatreprojects.com|access-date=2016-08-26|archive-date=2016-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919025047/http://theatreprojects.com/en/project/view/544/dubai-opera|url-status=dead}} it can be converted into a traditional theatre, concert hall, banquet hall or exhibition space. Using hydraulic lifts and seating wagons to relocate 900 of the 2,000 seats, the space can be used for other events while the extra seating is stored in garages beneath the theatre.{{Cite web|author=Lucy Barnard|publisher=The National|title=Emaar's opera house project in Dubai will be a multi-purpose facility|date=October 10, 2013|access-date=March 16, 2015|url=http://www.thenational.ae/business/industry-insights/property/emaars-opera-house-project-in-dubai-will-be-a-multi-purpose-facility}} It has 1,800-square-metre flat floor space which can hold up to 1,000 or more people for weddings, gala dinners, fashion shows, product launches, exhibitions and more.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-13 |title=Dubai Opera welcomed 1 million visitors, hosted 1,200 shows since opening in 2016 |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/dubai-opera-welcomed-1-million-visitors-hosted-1200-shows-since-opening-in-2016-1.89893032 |access-date=2024-09-27 |website=gulfnews.com |language=en}}

Dubai Opera is designed to resemble a dhow, a traditional sailing vessel, in which the 'bow' of the structure houses the opera's main stage, orchestra and seating, while the elongated 'hull' has waiting areas, a taxi "rank" or drop-off and pick-up areas, and parking.{{Cite web|author=Aarti Nagraj|publisher=Gulf Business|title=Emaar Reveals Details About 2,000-Seat Opera House In Dubai|date=March 18, 2014|access-date=March 16, 2015|url=http://gulfbusiness.com/2014/03/emaar-reveals-details-about-2000-seat-opera-house-in-dubai/#.VQcI0UZj_-Z}}{{cite news|newspaper=Khaleej Times|title=Dubai to get 2,000-seat opera house in The Opera District|date=March 19, 2014|access-date=March 16, 2015|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/entertainmentnation/2014/March/entertainmentnation_March2.xml§ion=entertainmentnation|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402105555/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data%2Fentertainmentnation%2F2014%2FMarch%2Fentertainmentnation_March2.xml§ion=entertainmentnation|url-status=dead}} It also boasts a rooftop restaurant with views of the Burj Khalifa.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

File:The Dubai Opera.jpg

The Opera District was launched by Emaar Properties in Downtown Dubai in 2013. Aside from Dubai Opera, the district, which faces Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain, includes art galleries, museums, design studios, and other cultural venues. The area includes several hotels, a retail plaza, recreational spaces and residential towers.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/dubai-s-emaar-launches-first-residences-in-opera-district-548992.html#.VNqHNfnF9lQ | title=Dubai's Emaar launches first residences in The Opera District | magazine=Arabian Business | date=5 May 2014 | access-date=12 March 2015 | author=Trenwith, Courtney}}{{cite news | url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/biz/inside.asp?xfile=/data/uaebusiness/2014/September/uaebusiness_September127.xml§ion=uaebusiness | title=Emaar unveils BLVD Heights in Downtown Dubai | newspaper=Khaleej Times | date=10 September 2014 | access-date=12 March 2015 | archive-date=13 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913005507/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/biz/inside.asp?xfile=%2Fdata%2Fuaebusiness%2F2014%2FSeptember%2Fuaebusiness_September127.xml§ion=uaebusiness | url-status=dead }}

Dubai has more than 50 art galleries and hosts cultural events such as Dubai Design Week, Art Dubai, and the SIKKA Art Fair.{{cite web | url=http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-16117-emaar-announces-opera-house-project-for-dubai/ | title=Emaar announces opera house project for Dubai | publisher=Construction Week Online | date=22 March 2012 | access-date=12 March 2015}}

• Art in Dubai
• Culture of Dubai

{{reflist}}{{Dubai landmarks}}

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Category:Opera houses in the United Arab Emirates

Category:Architecture in Dubai

Category:Performing arts centres

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2016

Category:2016 establishments in the United Arab Emirates

Category:Theatres completed in 2016