Dubai Opera eyes more collaborations with Chinese artists

28/4/2025 6:05

The head of the Dubai Opera said on Sunday that he is eyeing more musical and artistic collaborations with Chinese performers to strengthen cultural ties and attract more visitors from China.

"I see more and more great opportunities for Chinese artists and companies to showcase their talent at the Dubai Opera," Paolo Petrocelli told Xinhua during the 7th edition of the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi taking place in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Sunday to Tuesday.

Under the theme "Culture For Humanity And Beyond," the annual event convenes leaders from the fields of the arts, media, public policy, and technology, bringing together more than 180 speakers from around the globe.

"We have a very good dialogue and communication with our Chinese friends and different Chinese stakeholders ... There are a lot of conversations and also a great interest from many Chinese companies to come to the Dubai Opera," Petrocelli emphasized.

"We already had some very good collaborations with the Chinese National Ballet, who came twice already to the Dubai Opera. We are in conversation with the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing," he further explained.

Opened in 2016, the dhow-shaped Dubai Opera is a 2,000-seat performing arts center situated in the Opera District of downtown Dubai.

"The Dubai Opera is the main performing arts center in the UAE ... We have one of the most diversified programming that you could find here in the Gulf region," Petrocelli stressed.

"We want to celebrate all the cultures of the world and provide a platform for the community to really connect with the full range of different artistic languages," he said.