‘You will sometimes laugh, sometimes cry’: Abu Dhabi Choral Group to present quarantine-themed concert

The show will feature reworkings of classic and modern musical tunes, with lyrics echoing the times we have found ourselves in

The Abu Dhabi Choral Group will show off their pipes with a virtual performance this week. NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre.

There's never a bad time for a little pick-me-up, particularly amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

And that is just what one of the capital’s most enduring ensembles aims to do with a virtual concert on Friday, June 26.

After Covid-19 forced the Abu Dhabi Choral Group to shelve its planned Young Frankenstein performance at the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre this month, the collective will instead take their talents online to deliver a set of fresh new tunes.

Well, that is not exactly accurate. The Quarantania Mania Virtual Concert, which will be streamed on the arts centre's Facebook page from 8pm, will be full of puntastic takes of old and modern show classics that speak to our present times.

This means I Can Go the Distance from Hercules will be switched to I Can Social Distance, while the Frozen favourite Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? has been adjusted to Do You Wanna Have a Pool Day?

"The group had to come up with an alternative way to express creativity and bring joy into the homes of their friends, families and fans,” said member Cathryn Downing.

“All numbers were written by the members themselves and will take you on the emotional journey associated with being in quarantine. You will sometimes laugh, sometimes cry, and always identify with all the emotions on display.”

Formed in 1977, the Abu Dhabi Choral Group has long provided an outlet for residents wishing to express their vocal talents. With more than 50 performers comprising 15 different nationalities, the ensemble has kept an active performance schedule over the years, with shows including The Addams Family (2016), Legally Blonde The Musical (2015), Curtains (2014) and The Wedding Singer (2013).

With their latest production, Young Frankenstein, meant to mark the end of the now-scrapped performance season for the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre, artistic director Bill Bragin said the virtual concert continues both the ensemble's and the organisation's mission to bring entertainment and culture to the capital.

“In the spirit of ‘the show must go on', we invited them to come up with another approach to bring the talent and creativity of our friends and neighbours to the public,” he said.

“The Abu Dhabi Choral Group has come up with a playfully charming new approach to keep us all connected.”

For more information, visit www.nyuad-artscenter.org