Royal Opera House Muscat’s Umberto Fanni Speaks on the 2024-25 Season

By Afton Wooten
(Photo credit: Khalid Al Busaidi)

General Director of the Royal Opera House Muscat, Umberto Fanni, led a media briefing on the company’s upcoming season.

During the briefing, Fanni gave insight to the planning of the 2024-25 season, and beyond. He also spoke to the company’s mission and dedication to community and culture.

The 2024-25 season titled “Timeless Tales and Fabulous Journeys: An Opera Season Beyond Imagination,” includes five mainstage operas, several classical concerts, and family performances, as well as a ballet, Arabic and world music concerts, and educational programming.

The Opera House will host opera stars such as Jessica Pratt, Juliana Grigoryan, Elena Stikhina, Yusif Eyvazov, Joyce El-Khoury, Ambassador of Song Thomas Hampson, and more. Plácido Domingo conducts Verdi’s La Traviata” and the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra in the final classical Gala Symphony Concert. The Royal Opera House Muscat will also see conductors Giampaolo Bisanti, Antonello Allemandi, Valery Gergiev, Pietro Maniti, Lü Jia, Fabio Mastrangelo, and Lubnan Balbaaki at the helm.

When asked about how the company has evolved its approach from year to year in terms of building repertoire, Fanni replied, “Every year brings new possibilities and a different world to explore. When crafting the season, I believe the first step is to consider the diverse audience we serve, rather than solely focusing on personal preferences. In shaping the opera and music season, it is essential to incorporate classical elements and cater to the unique tastes of our varied audience.”

He continued by saying, “We are dedicated to curating programming that offers maximum entertainment while remaining true to our mission of fostering connections with the world of art. Join us on this journey as we create a season that celebrates diversity and strengthens the bridges between communities through the power of music and opera.”

This season, the Royal Opera House Muscat will collaborate with artists and music organizations from Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Jordan, Latvia, Paraguay, South Korea, and the U.S. Featured guests include the Choir of NCPA Beijing with soloists and Orchestra, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Justin Freer, and more.

Fanni continued to express the company’s passion for community engagement and charge to create individualized seasons. He described the Royal Opera House Muscat’s ultimate goal as “opening the door to the community, especially to the young people.”

 

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