The Abu Dhabi Festival, presented by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), will present Verdi’s Opera Gala on April 21, 2026, at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, marking 125 years since the passing of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.
The performance will feature the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of conductor Giacomo Sagripanti, alongside soprano Maria Agresta and tenor Giorgio Berrugi.
The programme includes selections from several of Verdi’s operas, including Nabucco, I Vespri Siciliani, Otello, La Traviata, Rigoletto, Simon Boccanegra, and Un ballo in maschera. The evening will feature a combination of overtures, arias and duets, offering a representative overview of Verdi’s body of work across different periods of his career.
Presented in a concert format, the gala will focus on orchestral and vocal performance rather than full staging. The performance is expected to run for approximately 90 to 120 minutes.
The event will take place at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, a venue that regularly hosts large-scale cultural performances as part of the festival’s annual programme.
