AR Rahman’s Firdaus Orchestra to debut at Expo 2020 with tribute to space explorers

The hour-long performance on Saturday will close Space Week at world's fair

Reemaz Oqbi (C), from Saudi Arabia, on flute.

Noura Sulaiman, spokeswoman for the Firdaus Orchestra during rehearsals at the Gems Wellington International School in Dubai. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

Practice makes perfect.

Nerissa Lobo playing the piano as the musicians tune up.

The percussion section of the Firdaus Orchestra.

Yasmina Sabbah, the conductor who comes from Lebanon.

AR Rahman, an award-winning composer, will premiere original music.

Elham Marzooqi (C) from UAE playing cello during the rehearsing of Firdaus Orchestra at the Gems Wellington school in Dubai.

Jo Cathrine (C) playing bassoon.

Firdaus Orchestra is an all-women ensemble featuring 23 nationalities.

Hanan Halwany at the rehearsal.

AR Rahman has said of the orchestra: ‘I’m proud to say that the Firdaus Orchestra is a world-class collective of musicians.’

Elham Al Marzooqi, from the UAE, on cello.

The all-women Firdaus Orchestra will be making its stellar debut performance at Expo 2020 Dubai with a tribute to space explorers.

Closing out Expo's Space Week, the ensemble, led by AR Rahman, will delight listeners on October 23 with a space-themed repertoire comprising western classical music and an original composition by Mr Rahman.

The concert will begin at 7pm on Saturday at Expo's Jubilee Park, and will be led by conductor Yasmina Sabbah. The evening will give visitors a taste of musical talent from across the Arab region.

Lasting one hour, the orchestra's inaugural performance will include Also Sprach Zarathustra, the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey, as well as music from Star Wars and E.T. – Adventures on Earth.

It will also feature Karl Jenkins’ Palladio, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and a grand finale performance by AR Rahman, who will present an exclusive new composition, Humanitas-Proorismós-Al Amal – an ode by the composer to explorers of space.

‘Al amal’ is the Arabic word for ‘hope’, which is also the name of the first Arab mission to Mars.

“To know the unknown is the quest of life, and by exploring space we explore ourselves," said Mr Rahman.

Music fans hoping for a seat in the park are encouraged to arrive early as capacity is limited.

Expo 2020 Dubai's Space Week began on October 17 and has hosted astronauts, experts and leaders in the field, highlighting the latest technology in space research and travel.

Tickets for the world's fair are available at expo2020.com.

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