VIDEO: AR Rahman presents spellbinding show at Expo 2020 Dubai

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman gave a fascinating performance along with Firdaus Orchestra at the Expo 2020 Dubai on Saturday.

Rahman with an all-women musical ensemble lit up the world stage with new musical notes.

The orchestra rendered a stellar space-themed repertoire comprising Western classical music and an original composition by Rahman.

The Firdaus Orchestra, led by conductor Yasmina Sabbah and representing a melange of musical talent from across the Arab world, brought their spellbinding showcase to Expo’s Space Week celebrations.

The grand finale performance by Rahman presented 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, fortuitously, is also the name of the first Arab mission to Mars.

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

With the end of Rahman’s performance, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Space Week celebrations come to an end.

Prior to forming at Expo, AR Rahman said, ‘’It’s been an honour and privilege to have founded and mentored the Firdaus Orchestra for Expo 2020 Dubai.

“This ensemble has a very unique character as it’s symbolic of our changing world and evolution in music, particularly in the Middle East.

The voices of the Firdaus Orchestra, comprising artists from more than 23 nationalities across the region, are so different from anything we’ve heard in the west or the east; they represent a whole new sound, which is very exciting.

“This has been a dear project for me and I’m grateful to Reem Al Hashimy whose support and guidance have made this extraordinary ensemble possible. I’m proud to say that the Firdaus Orchestra is a world-class collective of musicians.”