Expect a culturally immersive experience when the Shanghai Opera House comes to Dubai this week.
Founded in 1956, it is China’s oldest opera institution, and throughout the years it has built a formidable repertoire fusing the East with the West.
Its latest production, Turandot, runs from Thursday, September 5 until Saturday, September 7. Turandot is the last major work by Puccini, and is based on a Persian collection of stories titled 1,001 Days. The plot is set in ancient Peking and follows Prince Calaf's epic attempt to win the heart of the icy Princess Turandot.
The production may have been performed by many of the world’s biggest opera companies, but according to Shanghai Opera House tenor Han Peng, who takes on the role of Calaf, audiences can expect a more authentic spin in Dubai.
"This version produced by Shanghai Opera House is a brand new one. [Through the] set and costumes, many Chinese elements are in this production," he says. "Turandot tells a story happening in China, so it must be more original with Chinese artists on stage."
When it comes to the show's longevity – it has been performed regularly since its rapturous debut in 1926 in Milan's Teatro alla Scala. Peng says its popularity derives from the balanced structure.
Everyone gets a chance to shine in Turandot.
"First of all, it is without any doubt that Puccini's music is successful and exquisite, with some elements of Chinese folk songs," he says. "Nearly every character in Turandot has beautiful arias, which makes it so loved among the audiences after all these years."
When it comes to his own role, Peng has the responsibility of delivering arguably the most emotional high point of the night, with the stirring aria Nessun Dorma. Translated to None Shall Sleep, the piece is performed in the final act, where Calaf is alone in the moonlit palace gardens. The lyrics add to his pained reflections on the unrequited love he has for the princess.
To say this heartbreaking lament took on a life of its own is an understatement. The aria nearly reached the top of the charts when a 1972 recording by Luciano Pavarotti was used as the theme song for the BBC's television coverage of the 1990 Fifa World Cup in Italy. The song was also covered by legendary guitarist Jeff Beck and trumpeter Chris Botti – they released instrumental versions in 2010 and 2007, respectively.
For Peng, the aria played a major role in elevating his career. He performed the piece as part of his performances to win the 2009 Turandot Opera Competition in Italy.
To deliver the aria the way it is intended, Peng says it requires a calm mind and a certain zeal. "This aria is very difficult with a lot of high pitches," he says. "It's definitely more difficult to approach in opera productions [than singing competitions], but I have this confidence, and will also perform in my style."
It is this sense of identity that Shanghai Opera House general director Xu Zhong hopes will distinguish this version of Turandot from the others.
“This new version, embellished by its magical sets and magnificent costumes, reinterprets the cross-cultural story after an entire century,” he says. “It takes on a unique charm by combining the Eastern and Western civilisations from the other side’s perspective.”
Turandot by Shanghai Opera House will be at Dubai Opera from today until Saturday at 8pm. Tickets cost from Dh300 from dubaiopera.com
Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
UAE SQUAD
UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
List of officials:
Referees: Chris Broad, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle and Richie Richardson.
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumara Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
