Cultural director of Katara, Imad Sultan, president of Katara, Abdulrahman al-Khulaifi and Qatar Media Corporation’s Saad Burshaid, looking ahead to tonight’s inaugural concert at the Katara Amphitheatre
By Peter Townson/Staff Reporter

Around 150 VIP guests are set to enjoy what promises to be a highly memorable experience this evening, as some 500 musicians from across the globe gather to perform a selection of music by renowned Greek composer Vangelis during the opening of the Katara amphitheatre.
The opening has been organised to coincide with the 4th UN Forum on the Alliance of Civilisations being held in Doha until Tuesday, and Katara officials said that a composition had been written specially for the highly anticipated event which will be attended by forum delegates, including heads of states and ministers from around the world.
Tonight’s performance will be hosted by Oscar-winning actor, Jeremy Irons, who will introduce Vangelis’ three-part Choral Fantasy, while light artist Gert Hof paints the skies over the newly-opened arena.
Fellow Oscar-winner, Vangelis, best known for his work on film scores such as Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner, is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of electronic music, and he has been chosen for the event to combine the historical aspect and tradition of the Greek amphitheatre and the forward thinking and modern aspects of Katara as a cultural institution.
The first part of the concert will be played by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, combining improvisation with European classical orchestra sequences, while the orchestra will join with the Yurlov Moscow State Academic Choir and highly renowned Soprano, Angela Gheorghiu to perform the second section of the evening.
The third act will feature tenor, Roberto Alagna alongside Gheorghiu before a finale of Vangelis’ greatest hits and Child of Hope, to be performed by the Qatar Philharmonic Children’s Choir.
Chief conductor for the evening will be Gennady Dmitryak, alongside music director and conductor, Yvan Cessar.
President of Katara, Abdulrahman al-Khulaifi expressed his excitement ahead of the opening: “It is an incredible honour to announce the grand opening of Katara’s amphitheatre. Since opening, Katara has not only provided a platform for aspiring artists and musicians but also introduced Qatar to world renowned musicians and performers.”
“As home to one of the largest open-air amphitheatres in the Middle East, Katara is dedicated to showcasing the diverse cultures of the world and the amphitheatre provides the perfect stage for international and local artists,” he added.
Al-Khulaifi spoke about the convergence of cultures represented by the forum taking place in Qatar, espousing similar values to Katara as a whole, where people and artists from all over the world have created an exciting and vibrant cultural hub for the region.
“Preparation for this event has taken about one year, as we wanted to make it a truly international event and to be associated with world renowned musicians,” he said, adding “this is a unique place, overlooking the sea and we are going to hear some inspiring music.”
The 4,000-seater amphitheatre will be used on a monthly basis, according to cultural director of Katara, Imad Sultan, who said that members of the public would be “thrilled” with the selection of “magnificent events” planned to mark its inauguration in the coming months.
He explained that the amphitheatre will be used less throughout the summer months because of the difficult weather conditions, but promised that the new venue will feature a selection of world-class performances over the coming year.
“This is celebrating an important milestone for Katara and I am certain that people will enjoy the series of magnificent events to come,” said Sultan.
“The performance will incorporate electrifying and awe-inspiring art and film projected on a large screen, accompanied with lights and pyrotechnics that are sure to dazzle,” added a spokesperson for the event.
Although the event is closed to the public, officials explained that a DVD of the concert will be made available by Katara in the future.