Abu Dhabi Festival celebrates the special relationship between the UAE and Japan.

Abu Dhabi Festival 2025 has unveiled a range of exciting events. Starting from 7 February 2025, this year’s theme is Abu Dhabi – A World of Harmony. The season celebrates cultural diversity, artistic excellence, and the relationship between the UAE and Japan.

The Abu Dhabi Festival 2025 celebrates 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The line-up features world-renowned orchestras, taiko ensembles, opera and solo recitals.

On 7 and 8 February, The New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra will share the stage with the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado, tenor Jonathan Tetelman, and pianist Kyohei Sorita. On 7 March, Sheikh Mahmoud El-Tohamy showcases spiritual chanting. On 8 and 9 April, there is a performance from performance from the KODO drummers. On 11 April, virtuoso pianist Yunchan Lim performs Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

Highlights also include performances by the percussionist Kuniko Kato, an opera gala with tenor Javier Camarena and soprano Jessica Pratt, and violinist Augustin Hadelich performing works by Bach. Plus, there will be exhibitions and educational programmes for local as well as international audiences.

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi Festival ​Founding Honorary Patron, said: “Year after year, the Abu Dhabi Festival reinforces its leading position as a platform that conveys to the world the UAE’s message of upholding the values of peace, harmony and diversity, and building bridges of cultural communication between different civilisations and people. As the Festival celebrates Japan as the guest country of honour of this edition, we emphasise the depth of bilateral relations and enduring friendship between our two countries, that dates back more than 50 years, and is based on long history of strategic cooperation at various levels.”

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GO: Visit https://www.abudhabifestival.ae for more information.