The CEO of the Theater and Performing Arts Authority, Sultan al-Bazei, announced the date of Saudi Arabia’s first ever opera.
Bazei said during an interview with “Ya Hala” program on Rotana Khalijiya channel, that the Saudi opera will be shown on April 2024.
An international team will work to produce a wholly Saudi opera that tells the story of Zarqa al-Yamama through a format suitable for opera singing, he explained.
“The opera will be performed by international singing names with Saudi talents, and we hope that this opera will tour around the world after it is shown in Riyadh,” he added.
Bazei also announced the launch of the Saudi Theater Academy in September 2024, which will teach a bachelor’s degree in the field of applied theater for four years.
The academy will begin teaching basic specializations in acting, directing and production, and the graduate will be able to enter the labor market directly.
The Saudi Royal Opera House is set to be located in the Diriyah region, which Saudi Arabia seeks to transform into a global tourist and cultural destination by 2030 – a strategic move that comes within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
“The opera house is scheduled to be on an area of 46,000 square meters, accommodating 3,500 people on four different theaters. The project includes a visitor services pavilion, a café, and a retail space, and is expected to open in 2028” the Royal Diriyah Opera House website reads.
Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision aims to attract more than 50 million tourists to Saudi Arabia, with plans being realized through the Diriyah Company.
