Saudi National Orchestra gives a rousing performance in New York

The “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” concert was an invite-only event held at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. (Arab News)
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Updated 18 September 2023
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Saudi National Orchestra gives a rousing performance in New York

  • The first session of the concert ended with an Arabized version of the classic American song “Fly Me to the Moon,” made popular by Frank Sinatra
  • Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody was in the audience at the event in New York

NEW YORK: The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir performed on Sunday at the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

The “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” concert, a collaborative effort between the Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission, the Saudi Music Commission, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Kingdom’s Ministry of Culture, was the Saudi National Orchestra’s debut event in the US.

“Art has the possibility of triumphing over adversity,” Metropolitan Opera General Manager Peter Gelb said in his opening speech at the event.

The concert showcased Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural and musical heritage, opening with a series of folk songs under maestro Riab Ahmed. The musical numbers were masterfully performed by a large orchestra of musicians playing modern and traditional Arab instruments, including the oud and flute.

Performers wore traditional Saudi garb, while female singers in the choir donned purple dresses and headscarves. Each song demonstrated a different type of traditional Saudi music while various performing arts on display included Samri, Majrour, Rubsh, Al-Khatwa, and Liwa.

The first session of the concert ended with an Arabized version of the classic American song “Fly Me to the Moon,” made popular by Frank Sinatra.

After the opening session, Saudi opera singer Reemaz Oqbi — one of the only Saudis to ever study opera — took to the stage with a rendition of “Habanera” from the world-famous opera Carmen, followed by the American vintage piece “Kiss Me Again.”

The concert’s third session brought the atmosphere back to the West with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars. The jazz group first performed pieces inspired by their namesake, the great American trumpeter and bandleader John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie.

After an East-meets-West, jazz-Arabic fusion instrumental song played by Saudi musicians and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, the latter group’s saxophonist Tim Ries praised the collaboration between the two.

“We need no words, only the heart that beat together. We’ve become like family after only two days,” Ries said.

The concert ended with a medley of popular Saudi songs played by the Saudi National Orchestra and Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars together, ending in a rousing rendition of “The Renewer” by Abbas Ibrahim.

The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir is the seventh initiative in a series of projects launched by the Ministry of Culture, aligning with the cultural heritage oriented goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Though this is their first time performing in the US, the musicians have performed in Riyadh, Jeddah, Paris, Mexico, and Jordan.


Actress Andria Tayeh fronts Armani’s latest campaign

Updated 01 March 2025
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Actress Andria Tayeh fronts Armani’s latest campaign

DUBAI: Lebanese Jordanian actress Andria Tayeh this week fronted Armani’s Ramadan campaign, set against the backdrop of a desert landscape.

Draped in a flowing emerald-green abaya, Tayeh was seen in the video applying the Vert Malachite perfume from Armani Prive as the camera captured the details of the fragrance and her attire. The setting featured sand dunes stretching into the horizon.

The campaign integrates elements of regional aesthetics with Armani’s luxury branding, aligning with the themes of Ramadan. Vert Malachite, known for its rich and opulent notes, is presented as part of the brand’s seasonal focus.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Andria Tayeh (@andria_tayeh)

“Ramadan is a time of gratitude and blessings,” the star wrote to her 1.1 million followers on Instagram. “Honored to share this journey with Armani Prive and Vert Malachite, and wishing you a month filled with light and peace.”

Tayeh, known for her roles in Austrian filmmaker Kurdwin Ayub’s “Mond” and Netflix’s hit series “Al-Rawabi School for Girls,” has had a busy start to the year, collaborating with multiple brands and fronting their campaigns.

Last month, Giorgio Armani announced her appointment as its new Middle East beauty ambassador.

She took to Instagram to express her excitement, writing: “I am thrilled and honored to embark on this new journey with Armani beauty.

“This marks a real milestone for me, as the brand embodies values I have always cherished: timeless elegance, dramatic simplicity, and women empowerment,” she said. “Armani beauty reveals one’s charismatic personality in the most subtle and natural way. It’s this pure simplicity that creates an impact, and this is exactly what I hope to bring to the Arab cinema world.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Andria Tayeh (@andria_tayeh)

That same month, she was named the first Middle Eastern ambassador for French hair care brand Kerastase.

In a promotional clip, she appeared in an all-white studio, answering questions about why she is the ideal Kerastase ambassador. Tayeh spoke in a mix of English, Arabic and French, playfully flipping her hair for the camera as she discusses her dedication to maintaining healthy hair.

“Growing up, hair was always a big part of my identity, and now, representing a brand that celebrates hair in all its beauty feels surreal. Here’s to confidence, strength and great hair,” Tayeh captioned her post on Instagram at the time.


Health-conscious Ramadan recipes: Easy detox curry by chef Mayssam Abdulkhalek

Updated 01 March 2025
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Health-conscious Ramadan recipes: Easy detox curry by chef Mayssam Abdulkhalek

DUBAI: Executive chef Mayssam Abdulkhalek at Qatar’s Zulal Wellness Resort shares a clean eating recipe for iftar.

This detox curry is high in vitamins and minerals and low in calories due to the inclusion of beta-carotene-packed pumpkin, fiber-rich kohlrabi and cauliflower.

Billed as the Middle East’s first full immersion wellbeing resort, Zulal Wellness Resort’s offerings are based on the core tenets of traditional Arabic and Islamic medicine.

Detox curry

Ingredients: 

               30        gr                 Pumpkin                                    

              40       gr                   Kohlrabi

              20       gr                   Purple Cauliflower

              20       gr                   Cauliflower

              10       gr                   Mushroom

                1       gr          Sweet Basil

              40       gr          Coconut Milk

              60       ml          Vegetable Stock

              0.1      gr          Salt

                 2      gr          Coconut Sugar

Detox Curry Paste 

            250       ml                   Vegetable Stock

              50       gr           Red Chili

                1       gr           Kaffir Lime Leaf

              75       gr           Garlic

              50       gr           Galangal

Instructions:

Curry Paste

1. Peel all vegetables, cut thinly, and put in the blender.

2. Blend with vegetable stock until smooth in texture.

Curry

1. In a large saucepan, bring the coconut milk and curry paste to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the kohlrabi, cauliflower, pumpkin, and mushroom. Bring to a simmer until vegetables are tender.

3. Season with salt and coconut sugar.

4. Put sweet basil at the last before serving.


Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio tease intense Daredevil-Kingpin showdown in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

Updated 01 March 2025
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Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio tease intense Daredevil-Kingpin showdown in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

  • Disney+ releases 2-episode premiere March 5
  • Actors highlight characters’ evolving dynamics

DUBAI: Marvel fans are all set for a return to Hell’s Kitchen as Disney+ gears up for the release of “Daredevil: Born Again,” a revival of the beloved “Daredevil” series that originally streamed on Netflix.

The new show brings back Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer who moonlights as the horned vigilante, and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, the formidable crime boss known as Kingpin.

Ahead of the show’s two-episode premiere on March 5, Cox and D’Onofrio shared insights into their characters’ evolving dynamics in a virtual press conference.

Cox assured fans that while Murdock remains fundamentally the same character, he faces new emotional and psychological challenges. “It’s hard to talk about without spoilers,” he said.

“Early on, Matt suffers a trauma that forces him to rethink and rediscover his identity in a way we haven’t seen before. He ends up going down a path that I’d describe as a Band-Aid that has to be ripped off slowly and painfully.”

The revival finds Murdock attempting to leave his vigilante past behind, only to be drawn back into a dangerous game as Fisk reemerges — not as a crime lord, but as a politician running for mayor of New York City.

Their conflicting paths set the stage for a fresh yet intense confrontation between the two.

D’Onofrio highlighted the rarity of direct face-offs between Daredevil and Kingpin, despite their deep-seated rivalry. “We’ve only been in five or six scenes together over the years,” he revealed.

“And that’s because when we do share a scene, it has to mean something — it’s always at the beginning of something, or the end, or sometimes both. It has to be intense.”

This time, the show takes a different approach, bringing the two adversaries together much earlier in the season. Cox explained that this shift creates a fresh dynamic.

“Bringing us together early on is something we haven’t done before,” he said. “It puts them in a position where they have to trust each other’s ability to stay true to who they say they are. That changes the game.”

D’Onofrio also offered a metaphorical take on the characters’ struggles. “We’re both broken men trying to live in the daylight,” he said. “It’s like vampires trying to walk in the sun — it’s a struggle.

“He’s got his thing, I’ve got my plan, and putting us together creates an unavoidable tension.”


Saudi artist Mawadah Muhtasib collaborates with Harrods for Ramadan and Eid

Updated 28 February 2025
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Saudi artist Mawadah Muhtasib collaborates with Harrods for Ramadan and Eid

DUBAI: London’s luxury department store Harrods announced on Friday its collaboration with celebrated Saudi calligrapher Mawadah Muhtasib for its Ramadan and Eid campaign. 

This is the third year in a row that Harrods has collaborated with an Arab calligrapher. 

Muhtasib is known for her Arabic calligraphy, using Muthana (mirror writing) and reverse script. Her work modernizes traditional calligraphy while keeping its original essence.

“Ramadan Kareem,” Mawadah Muhtasib. (Supplied)

For this collaboration, Muhtasib created two bespoke artwork pieces that blend Islamic floral motifs with her distinctive style. 

The first, featuring the message “Ramadan Kareem,” is set against a deep-blue backdrop, reflecting the spiritual ambience of Ramadan. 

The second design, adorned with “Eid Mubarak,” embraces a vibrant pink palette, symbolizing the joy and festivity of Eid celebrations. 

“Eid Mubarak,” Mawadah Muhtasib. (Supplied)

“I am thrilled to collaborate with Harrods to mark Ramadan and Eid this year,” Muhtasib said. “Arabic calligraphy holds a profound power beyond artistic beauty — it is a true reflection of heritage, culture and design that transcends all generations.

“For this collection, it was important for me to capture the harmony between the elegance of Arabic script and the beauty of nature. The floral illustrations of the design showcase the versatility of Arabic calligraphy, affirming its place in the world of luxury and design,” she said. 

Muhtasib’s creations will be showcased throughout Harrods’ Ramadan and Eid campaign, including their in-store displays, digital greetings, social content and in the iconic Knightsbridge food halls. 

Additionally, Muhtasib’s artwork will feature on Harrods’ Eid gifting packaging. 


Georgina Rodriguez visits children’s cancer center in Saudi

Updated 28 February 2025
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Georgina Rodriguez visits children’s cancer center in Saudi

DUBAI: Argentine model Georgina Rodriguez visited the King Fahd National Centre for Children’s Cancer this week to support young patients.

During her visit, Rodriguez hugged and spoke with the children, and joined in their play with the dolls. (Supplied)

She was joined by Monica Esteban, president of the Spanish charity, the Juegaterapia Foundation, as they distributed Baby Pelones dolls featuring a scarf designed by Rodriguez.

During her visit, Rodriguez hugged and spoke with the children, and joined in their play with the dolls.

She was joined by Monica Esteban, president of the Spanish charity, the Juegaterapia Foundation, as they distributed Baby Pelones dolls featuring a scarf designed by Rodriguez. (Supplied)

The visit is a part of the foundation’s efforts to create a supportive hospital environment through therapeutic play, which helps improve the emotional well-being of children with cancer.