The January hot list: Jordi Savall at Abu Dhabi Classics, Cats at Dubai Opera, and more

Pawan Singh / The National

Photo by David Ignaszewski

Roslan Rahman / AFP

Navin Khianey for The National

Greg Allen / Invision / AP

Courtesy Masdar

Courtesy Ink Project

From exhibitions to acts on stage, celebrity meet and greets and concerts, here’s our roundup of all that’s interesting in the month of January.

January 11-25

Dinesh Kamble showcase

Head to the Ajman Palace Hotel for a painting exhibition by acclaimed Indian artist Dinesh Kamble from January 11-25. The emirate will be first stop on a seven-country tour which will see the works displayed in Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, Paris, London and Tokyo. The Ajman show marks the first solo trip for the artist's collection called The Rainbow 2017. The event is free for the public to attend. For more information call 067018888.

January 13

Kim Kardashian-West returns to Dubai

Kim Kardashian-West and celebrity make-up artist Mario Dedivanovic will host a masterclass at The Music Hall in Dubai's Zabeel Saray hotel on Palm Jumeirah on January 13. Tickets for the event, which was cancelled last year after the Kardashian being held at gunpoint in a jewellery robbery in October, are limited. Ticket prices range from Dh1,939-Dh6,122 and the event will run from 11am until 5pm. Visit www.themasterclass.com/dubai/ for more details.

January 13

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Catalan conductor, viol player and composer Jordi Savall will perform as part of Abu Dhabi Classics. After a widely acclaimed world premiere in November 2014, Ibn Battuta: The voyager of Islam, From Morocco to Afghanistan (1314-1336), TCA Abu Dhabi Classics presents the Arabic Premiere of the sequel concert created by Jordi Savall for Abu Dhabi: Ibn Battuta: The voyager of Islam, From Afghanistan to China (1336-1346). Show starts from 8pm, doors open at 6pm. Tickets start from Dh30 for students and go up to Dh350. For more visit www.abudhabiclassics.ae/en/default.aspx

Theatregoers will be able to experience the magic of Andrew Lloyd Webber's record-breaking 2015 Olivier award-nominated original musical CATS which is adapted from TS Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats which blends fantasy, drama and romance. CATS, has enchanted audiences in over 300 cities around the world, is the winner of two Grammys and seven Tony awards. Shows start at 8pm on January 16-19. Visit www.dubaiopera.ae

January 17

Meet Nancy Ajram in Dubai

Damas Jewellery has collaborated with the Dubai Shopping Festival to bring the popular Arabic singer Nancy Ajram to Dubai Mall. The pop star will mingle with fans in the mall's Grand Atrium on January 17 and unveil the latest Farfasha collection by Damas. DSF runs until January 28 and features discounts of up to 90 per cent at select stores across the city. For more information about the promotions, raffles and entertainment available during the event this month go to www.visitdubai.com/en/dsf

Elton John in concert

The Piano Man will perform for the first time in front of a Dubai audience at Autism Rocks Arena on Friday, January 20. The singer, who is one of the world's most accomplished performers in the world, with over five decades of stage experience, is bringing his Wonderful Crazy Night world tour to the emirate after postponing his scheduled December gig. Doors open at 5pm and the show starts at 9.30pm. For more details visit www.dubai.platinumlist.net

Featuring both established and new talent, this festival celebrates Arabic music and will include performances from local and regional acts including the UAE's Abri and the Funk Radius, Mashrou Leila from Lebanon and Neobyrd from Egypt. The mix will include rock, soul, electronic and jazz and the festival will have food offerings and a festive atmosphere. Tickets from Dh235. Open 2pm-2am both days, visit www.waslafestival.com for more.

January 20-21

Green fun in Abu Dhabi

Eco-minded families should beat a path to Masdar in Abu Dhabi on January 20 and 21. The clean energy company and green living initiative will once again host 'The Festival at Masdar City'. The two-day event features educational activities related to sustainability plus local exhibitors promoting sustainable living solutions for UAE residents. Also available will be organic produce, food stalls and a variety of craft workshops for children and family in addition to musical entertainment. For more information go to www.masdar.ae

January 25-February 18

The Ink Project at La Galerie, Alliance Française, Dubai

An interesting exhibition of works on paper by Emirati artist Nasir Nasrallah, Sarah Mumtaz from Pakistan and Joelle Verstraeten from Belgium. The artists will interpret the notion of reading and mark making. They will explore the idea of reading being an art form and explore the medium of paper through individual approaches to working with such a versatile and experimental medium. www.antidotedxb.com/the-ink-project