Latest news with #OneThousandandOneNights
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Winter might be setting in, but there's still plenty to do
For those who love the great outdoors, winter can be a challenging time. Fortunately in Melbourne there are always plenty of options when it comes to the arts and culture. Scheherazade Hamer Hall, June 2 For a transcendental start to your week like no other, join the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's 'quick fix at half six' on the first Monday of June – a 75-minute performance that kickstarts with excerpts and insights from the conductor before a work is performed in full. On this night in question, the conductor is Hong Kong-born, internationally renowned conductor Elim Chan and the work is Scheherazade, a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 and based on One Thousand and One Nights. First Voices Showcase Iwaki Auditorium, June 4 Celebrate the culmination of one of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's most exciting artist development programs, the First Voices Composer program, at this showcase event. Hear the premiere of works by Jaadwa composer, producer and sound artist James Howard and Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri and South Sea Islander multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Nathaniel Andrew, performed by musicians of the MSO, in an evening that celebrates the vital contribution of First Nations artists to the ongoing vitality of the orchestral sector. Noongar violinist, violist, composer and conductor Aaron Wyatt will conduct and present on the night. The Birds Malthouse, until June 7 Forever immortalised on film by master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, Daphne du Maurier's chilling thriller The Birds has been adapted into a stage production at Malthouse Theatre. Directed by Malthouse's former artistic director Matthew Lutton and brought to life by playwright Louise Fox, the one-woman show stars Paula Arundell – one of Australia's most compelling stage actors – in an unforgettable tour de force. Armed with individual headsets, theatregoers are thrust into an adrenaline-fuelled soundscape of flying feathers and murderous swoops as relentless, supernatural birds attack a coastal town. Chinese Textile Donations from Tyon Gee Museum of Chinese Australian History, June 8 This one-of-a-kind event will unveil a beautiful capsule collection of Chinese garments donated by Tyon Gee, an early Chinese migrant who moved from Guangdong to Sydney in 1939 with her husband and two children. Her story and wardrobe reflect the resilience and cultural heritage of Chinese Australians in the 1930s, highlighting the tension at the time between tradition and assimilation and the preservation of cultural roots. It's a special opportunity to explore history through fabric, fashion, and migrant-led storytelling.
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Winter might be setting in, but there's still plenty to do
For those who love the great outdoors, winter can be a challenging time. Fortunately in Melbourne there are always plenty of options when it comes to the arts and culture. Scheherazade Hamer Hall, June 2 For a transcendental start to your week like no other, join the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's 'quick fix at half six' on the first Monday of June – a 75-minute performance that kickstarts with excerpts and insights from the conductor before a work is performed in full. On this night in question, the conductor is Hong Kong-born, internationally renowned conductor Elim Chan and the work is Scheherazade, a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 and based on One Thousand and One Nights. First Voices Showcase Iwaki Auditorium, June 4 Celebrate the culmination of one of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's most exciting artist development programs, the First Voices Composer program, at this showcase event. Hear the premiere of works by Jaadwa composer, producer and sound artist James Howard and Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri and South Sea Islander multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Nathaniel Andrew, performed by musicians of the MSO, in an evening that celebrates the vital contribution of First Nations artists to the ongoing vitality of the orchestral sector. Noongar violinist, violist, composer and conductor Aaron Wyatt will conduct and present on the night. The Birds Malthouse, until June 7 Forever immortalised on film by master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, Daphne du Maurier's chilling thriller The Birds has been adapted into a stage production at Malthouse Theatre. Directed by Malthouse's former artistic director Matthew Lutton and brought to life by playwright Louise Fox, the one-woman show stars Paula Arundell – one of Australia's most compelling stage actors – in an unforgettable tour de force. Armed with individual headsets, theatregoers are thrust into an adrenaline-fuelled soundscape of flying feathers and murderous swoops as relentless, supernatural birds attack a coastal town. Chinese Textile Donations from Tyon Gee Museum of Chinese Australian History, June 8 This one-of-a-kind event will unveil a beautiful capsule collection of Chinese garments donated by Tyon Gee, an early Chinese migrant who moved from Guangdong to Sydney in 1939 with her husband and two children. Her story and wardrobe reflect the resilience and cultural heritage of Chinese Australians in the 1930s, highlighting the tension at the time between tradition and assimilation and the preservation of cultural roots. It's a special opportunity to explore history through fabric, fashion, and migrant-led storytelling.
Time Out Dubai
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
It's your last weekend to explore the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair
If you've ever found yourself chatting about books for hours, you'll probably want to make your way to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair this year. Running until Monday May 5, the fair is taking over the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi with plenty of things to do for readers. There are books to check out, food to try, music to enjoy, stimulating panel discussions, workshops around the content and the publishing industry and so much more. We've already slotted a drive down to Abu Dhabi this weekend. This year's edition embraces the theme 'Knowledge Illuminates Our Community,' aligning with the UAE's Year of Community campaign. Stories have the power to unite us, and there's no better example of it than the chosen Book of the World, One Thousand and One Nights, a nod to the timeless power of storytelling. The fair's programming is pretty packed, with events covering everything from sustainability and AI to Arab sciences and fantasy. Speakers at the fair included Conn Iggulden, the British writer known for historical fiction, and Saudi fantasy author Osamah Almusallam, among others. This year, a brand-new Poetry Majlis debuted. Here, you'll find everything from Nabati verses to classical Arabic rhythms, and even cross-cultural poetry evenings with Arab and international poets. Get ready to leave with a few new ideas and a tote bag full of books. Register now:
The National
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Hussein Fahmy says 'shortcut culture' is undermining Egyptian television and drama
Hussein Fahmy says diminishing standards – from storytelling to production – are affecting Egyptian television and drama. Speaking at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the veteran actor and Cairo International Film Festival president attributed the decline to what he describes as a 'shortcut culture' within the industry, where trends and commercial appeal are prioritised over strong narratives and craftsmanship. The result, he suggested, is an increasingly skewed portrayal of Egypt and its people on screen, along with a disregard for classical Arabic texts that have long served as a rich source of inspiration for Egyptian film and television. 'What we are lacking today, I believe, is seriousness,' he said. 'I see a lot of shortcutting in writing and execution, and what this ultimately does is reduce the value of drama. This is played out in how we no longer treat heritage texts seriously and instead run after market demands with superficial works. True success comes when the work is good and has substance. Only then does it ultimately succeed.' It was a pointed message that Fahmy, 85, directed not only at his colleagues, but at the audience as well, suggesting that it is they who ultimately control the standards of what is acceptable, not the other way around. 'No one controls public taste,' he added. 'The audience does. The public has the right to change the channel, to stop watching, to not go to the cinema. I place a major responsibility on the audience. When the audience supports meaningful work, producers will follow. But when audiences chase commercial, shallow works, producers will replicate them. 'When the public accepts meaningless productions, they deny us the opportunity to offer them refined culture. The public must help us artists by choosing quality, supporting fine comedy, fine drama, and rejecting vulgarity. 'I am against the idea that you are 'forced' to listen to bad music. If you hear a bad song, don't listen to it again. We all bear a social responsibility to uplift public taste.' Fahmy's reflections came as part of a wider discussion on the inspirations behind his near seven-decade career, particularly the ancient anthology One Thousand and One Nights, designated as the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair's key text and dubbed 'Book of the World' for this year's event. One of Fahmy's most memorable roles was in the Egyptian television adaptation of Alf Leila wa Leila (One Thousand and One Nights), which aired during Ramadan in 1984. Starring as Shahrayar, the despot who spares Scheherazade's life due to her ability to spin evocative tales, Fahmy was initially hesitant about the character. 'He is portrayed in the text as a vengeful king who killed someone every morning, and I told myself, 'I can't just play him like that,'' he said. 'I concluded that the only way viewers would empathise with him – and not condemn him immediately from the onset – is if he secretly loved Scheherazade from the very beginning.' Fahmy, who first heard stories from One Thousand and One Nights as a child on Egyptian public radio, said the lasting appeal of these tales lies in the freedom they give readers to imagine them in their own way. 'There are various characters in the book that we can all relate to, and they are so open to interpretation that they don't need a director's vision imposed on them,' he said. 'That's why the work will always endure – and why I believe there will never be a definitive television or film version of it. 'It also goes to show you the power of books – how they allow you to shape your imagination in your own way. You live the story through your mind, not someone else's vision.' Screen adaptations like Alf Leila wa Leila, universal in their appeal across the Arab world, are what is currently missing from Egyptian film and television. 'Today, Arab cinema has become too localised,' he continued. 'In the past, Egyptian films spoke to all Arabs – you could see yourself in them whether you were from Tunisia, Morocco, Syria or anywhere else. Today, Egyptian films have become so local that they no longer represent the wider Arab audience, and that is a major loss. 'Historical dramas used to be a way to bring people together, but now they face more difficulties. Political sensitivities and historical disagreements often block wider distribution. It has become more difficult to produce them – let alone more expensive. Hence, we are seeing different kinds of stories being produced today.' The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is running at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until May 5
Gulf Today
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair begins
Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) officially opened on Saturday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The event will run until 5th May 2025. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, this year's fair is being held under the theme "Knowledge Illuminates Our Community", and features participation from 1,400 exhibitors representing 96 countries. The fair offers a comprehensive programme with around 2,000 activities and events, catering to readers, intellectuals, publishers, and content creators. It continues to serve as a global platform for cultural dialogue, reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a leading international hub for knowledge and creativity. The event reflects the UAE's strategic vision of investing in culture, supporting the publishing industry, and promoting dialogue among civilisations. The book fair will feature panel discussions and interactive exhibits highlighting Ibn Sina's legacy, discussing his ideas, achievements, and impact on human civilisation, marking 1,000 years since the publication of his seminal work "The Canon of Medicine", a landmark text that profoundly influenced the global advancement of medical science. The fair also celebrates "One Thousand and One Nights" as the "Book of the World", recognising its timeless influence across cultures and its enduring inspiration for writers and artists worldwide. Moreover, the Culture of the Caribbean Basin has been chosen as this year's Guest of Honour, underscoring the UAE's commitment to fostering global cultural partnerships and providing enriching knowledge experiences that deepen intercultural exchange, further strengthening Abu Dhabi's position as a premier destination for intellectual and cultural exchange. With the opening of its 34th edition, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair has successfully reinforced its status as a leading cultural and intellectual destination. Over the decades, it has firmly established the concept of knowledge and cultural sustainability, while promoting the Arabic language's presence within the creative and cultural industries both locally, regionally, and globally. Started in 1981 The Fair's journey began in 1981 when the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan inaugurated the first edition under the name "Islamic Book Fair" at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, with the participation of 50 publishers. In 1986, the first official edition of the Abu Dhabi Book Fair was launched, again at the Cultural Foundation, featuring 70 publishers. The momentum grew in the 1988 edition, with 80 publishers from 10 Arab countries participating. By 1993, the event had evolved into an annual fixture, attracting an increasing number of local, regional, and international publishing houses. Entering the new millennium, the 2001 edition attracted around 514 publishing houses, marked by the notable presence of cultural leaders and intellectuals. The 2009 edition witnessed the launch of "The Arab E-Library" and attracted 637 publishers from 52 countries. France was the Guest of Honour for the first time in 2011. In 2014, the fair introduced Al Mutanabbi as the Fair's inaugural "literary figure of honour", with participation from 1,050 exhibitors. In 2015, the fair celebrated its Silver Jubilee, honouring the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan as pivotal personality of the Year, with 1,181 publishers from 63 countries participating. The fair again celebrated Sheikh Zayed in the 2018 edition, coinciding with the Year of Zayed, welcoming 1,350 exhibitors from 63 countries, with Poland selected as the Guest of Honour. In 2019, India was the Guest of Honour, and for the first time, the "One Million Tolerant Document" initiative was launched, in line with the UAE's Year of Tolerance. The most recent edition saw 1,350 exhibitors from 90 countries under the theme "Where the World's Tales Unfold". It also welcomed 145 new publishers and participants from 12 countries, including Greece, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Mozambique, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Indonesia. In an unprecedented move, the current 34th edition (April 26 - May 5, 2025) extends the exhibition period to 10 days for the first time. This aims to encourage innovation within the publishing sector, enhance cultural dialogue, and provide greater support to local and Arab authors by offering more opportunities for networking with international publishers. This year's edition features participation from over 1,400 exhibitors from 96 countries, speaking more than 60 languages. Impressively, 120 exhibitors are participating for the first time, marking an 18% growth. Moreover, the fair welcomes publishers from 20 new countries across four continents, speaking more than 25 languages. It hosts 28 international pavilions, 87 local and international government entities, 13 author-publishers, 15 universities, and 8 initiatives dedicated to supporting the publishing industry. WAM
