Dubai Opera

Dubai Opera in the Opera District of Downtown Dubai was developed by Emaar Properties; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the project in March 2012. It opened on 31 August 2016 with a performance by Plácido Domingo. Designed by Janus Rostock of Atkins, the building takes the form of a dhow, a traditional sailing vessel: the bow holds the stage, orchestra and seating, while the elongated hull contains waiting areas and the drop-off zone. Using hydraulic lifts and seating wagons, about 900 of the up to 2,000 seats can be moved into garages beneath the hall, so it can serve as a theatre, a concert hall or a flat floor for banquets and exhibitions. The programme includes opera, ballet, musicals and concerts; in 2017 it hosted the first BBC Proms Dubai. A rooftop restaurant looks out on the Burj Khalifa.