Dubai Opera has unveiled its 10th anniversary season, with Trevor Noah, the Bolshoi Theatre and Swan Lake on Ice among the major names and productions heading to the Downtown Dubai venue.
The 2026–27 programme brings together opera, ballet, comedy, concerts and theatre, with performances running from September 2026 into January 2027.
Celebrations will begin with a 10th Anniversary Gala on September 12, while the months ahead will feature international performers alongside regional artists. Trevor Noah will return for five shows in November, and Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre will make its first official UAE tour in December.
Dubai Opera Marks 10 Years With Anniversary Gala
The anniversary gala will feature acclaimed soprano Fatma Said, the UAE National Orchestra, Festival Chorus and conductor Ahmed Farag.
The programme will include opera, orchestral music, Arab classics and contemporary dance, as well as the world premiere of a new orchestral composition by Mohamed Medhat.
The event marks a decade since Dubai Opera opened in Downtown Dubai in 2016. More than 1.5 million visitors have attended performances at the venue during its first 10 years.
The anniversary season continues from September 17 to 19 with the Ukrainian National Ballet’s The Marriage of Figaro Ballet, which brings Mozart’s famous comic opera to the stage through ballet.
Trevor Noah Returns for Five Dubai Shows
Trevor Noah will return to Dubai Opera from November 25 to 29, giving UAE audiences five opportunities to see the Emmy-winning comedian and former host of The Daily Show.
Noah has performed in the UAE before, but his latest appearances form part of Dubai Opera’s wider anniversary programme.
Comedy will also feature earlier in the season during the Dubai Comedy Festival, which runs from October 9 to 18. Several festival performances are scheduled to take place at Dubai Opera.
Bolshoi Theatre Announces First Official UAE Tour
One of the biggest announcements in the new season is the arrival of Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre for its first official UAE tour.
The company will perform at Dubai Opera from December 2 to 6, with a programme spanning ballet, opera and symphonic music.
The line-up includes Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride, a symphonic concert by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
The December residency will bring performers and musicians from one of the world’s best-known classical institutions to Dubai as part of the venue’s anniversary celebrations.
Amy Winehouse Band and Gipsy Kings Join Line Up
Live music also makes up a significant part of the 2026–27 calendar.
God Save the Queen, a tribute to British rock band Queen, will make its Dubai debut on October 5, followed by Lebanese singer and actress Marilyne Naaman on October 6.
On October 8, The Amy Winehouse Band, led by Winehouse’s longtime musical director Dale Davis, will perform songs associated with the late British singer.
Gipsy Kings Symphonic arrives on October 22, combining the group’s rumba flamenca sound with orchestral arrangements.
Other artists announced for the season include Mercury Prize winner Benjamin Clementine, Lebanese-Armenian pianist and composer Guy Manoukian, Russian pianist Denis Matsuev and contemporary pianist Tony Ann.
Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji and trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf will also perform À La Française on November 27, bringing French, jazz, classical and contemporary influences together on stage.
Swan Lake on Ice Coming in January
Dubai Opera’s anniversary programme will continue into 2027 with Swan Lake on Ice, scheduled from January 14 to 17.
The Imperial Ice Stars production transforms Tchaikovsky’s ballet into a theatrical ice-skating performance featuring 24 elite skaters.
The production combines figure skating with ballet-inspired choreography, aerial performance and theatrical effects, offering a different interpretation of the classical story.
Other productions announced as part of the season include Titizé – A Venetian Dream, Ministry of Sound Classical, Arabic comedy Mohandis Al Thouq Al Aam, Abracadabra and the Buena Vista All Stars.
Dubai Opera Expands Anniversary Programme
The anniversary season reflects the range of programming Dubai Opera has developed since opening in 2016, with international comedy, classical productions, Arabic performances and contemporary concerts sharing the calendar.
The Bolshoi Theatre’s first official UAE tour is expected to be one of the major cultural events of the season, while Trevor Noah’s five-night run adds a high-profile comedy draw.
With performances continuing into January 2027, the programme gives Dubai Opera a busy start to its second decade as the venue marks 10 years of live entertainment in the city.
