Katara events drew thousands of visitors

A variety of events and activities drew thousands of guests to Katara – the Cultural Village – last month.

These included a lecture by Yusuf Estes, which was attended by some 3,500, and Iraqi Folklore in partnership with the Iraq embassy in Qatar. Another highlight was the world premiere and sellout performance of Romeo and Juliet, presented in partnership with British Council and Globe Education, as part of the Qatar UK 2013 string of initiatives.

Katara general manager Dr Khalid al-Sulaiti said: “We are committed to educating and entertaining the community while building cultural bridges. I would, therefore, like to thank all those involved in making each of these events a great success and look forward to welcoming everyone to future events.”

The March highlights include a live HD screening of a performance of Parsifal, starring Jonas Kaufmann in the title role, which kick-started events yesterday.

This will be followed by Zandonai’s compelling opera, Francesca Da Rimini, on March 16 at 7pm. The venue is Katara’s Drama Theatre, building 16.

Another major attraction of the month is the 10-day Halal Hal, the second annual Halal Qatar festival that celebrates traditional Qatari culture through arts and crafts, food and entertainment, Qatari games, and folk songs.

Starting on March 22, the festival will provide a rare glimpse into the country’s sheep and goat industry and allow the public to journey into this aspect of Qatari culture.