In Dubai almost everything can be found, but one thing was missing for a long time, an opera room where ballet and theater performances, opera, concerts and musicals could be organized. Since every metropolis has an impressive opera room, Dubai could not stay behind.
The Dubai Opera has welcomed a large number of well-known performances including the opera Il barbiere di Siviglia, the musicals Les Misérables and West Side Story, the ballet performances Giselle, Coppélia and Maurice Béjart. Also a performance of the worked “The nutcracker” on an ice rink and performances by José Carreras and Anoushka Shankar were already on the program. For the most current program of the Dubai Opera, visit the website www.dubaiopera.com.
The Dubai opera has a total of 578 square meters and can accommodate 1900 seats. 900 of these 2000 chairs can be removed so that it is also possible to organize events that require more space. This allows the auditorium to receive three different layouts for theater, space for exhibitions and a concert hall.
When transformed into a concert hall, a series of towers and reflectors on stage and overhead are designed to create an acoustic shell around the orchestra, enabling an impeccable acoustic environment for a perfect sound quality.
Location and architecture
The Dubai Opera is located in Downtown Dubai just 200 meters from the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa and the largest shopping mall in the world, the Dubai Mall. From the promenade of the Dubai Mall you can see the striking building of the Dubai Opera on the other side of the water.
The Dubai Opera is housed in a unique, striking building that is shaped like a dhow, an Arab boat that has traditionally been used for fishing in the region and is typical of Dubai’s maritime history. The maritime character is continued inside the building in the arch that resembles a nave, which includes the main stage, orchestra, seats and roof terrace with sky garden. The backside of the building extends like a real ship’s hull and serves as a waiting, taxi and parking space.
The design comes from the British architectural firm WS Atkins from London. This architectural firm is no stranger to Dubai as they have also made the design of the famous Burj al Arab hotel, the Address Downtown Dubai and the Lighthouse Tower. You can image what a great company it is.
How to get there
Thanks to its location in the heart of Downtown Dubai, the Dubai Opera is easy to reach with private transport and the public transport in Dubai. The building has its own underground parking garage where visitors can park at the Dubai Opera. It is also possible to park po street in the Green Parking Zone for AED 10 per hour.
There is also a taxi stand at the door of the building so that you can easily travel to the opera by taxi.
For those who want to travel to the Dubai Opera by public transport, it is best to opt for the Dubai metro. If you get off at the Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall stop on the red line, it is about a 20-minute walk from the metro station. For the bus you have to get off at the Dubai Mall Metro station and follow the signs to the Dubai Opera.
