Curtain to go up on Amman Opera Festival’s third edition

AMMAN — Under the patronage of HRH Princess Muna, the Amman Opera Festival (AOF), the first opera festival in the Arab world, will host its third show with the opera “Barber of Seville” by Gioachino Rossini, a co-production with the Bologna Opera House.

Jordanian soprano Zeina Barhoum will be cast as Rosina, the opera’s leading role, Yuma Shimizu as Figaro, and Fabrizio Daluiso as Il Conte. They will perform with the full Opera House of Bologna cast, according to a statement by the organisers.

 They will be accompanied by the Bologna Opera House Orchestra featuring musicians from the National Music Conservatory Orchestra in Jordan and the Rimini Opera House Choir led by conductor Massimo Taddia. The show will be directed by Fabio Buonocore. 

This edition of the AOF will also feature a costumes workshop through its educational programme “An Eye on Music in Education”, which supports “promising talent” in partnership with SOS Children. 

In coordination with the UNHCR, two Syrian refugee tailors will be working with the Italian costume designer for the opera, according to the statement. 

Barhoum founded the AOF in Jordan under the patronage of HRH Princess Muna. In July 2017 it featured “La Traviata” in July 2017 and in 2018, “La Boheme” was showcased at the Roman Theatre in Amman. 

The founder’s motivation is to “plant the seeds towards growing the opera culture” in Jordan and the Arab world, and inspire the opening of an opera house in Amman similar to those in other Arab states such as Oman and the UAE, the statement said. 

“Barber of Seville” will be showcased on October 17 and 19 at the Cultural Palace in Amman. “A bit of Italy” opens its doors at 5:30pm  for opera-goers to enjoy a snack before the show begins. Gates open at 7pm and the show begins at 7:30pm. 

A costumes exhibition by Italian fashion designers of the Bologna Opera House will be featured in the foyer of the theatre. 

Part of the proceeds will go to a scholarship fund and to benefit underprivileged children, according to the statement.