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Acclaimed conductor Alistair Auld will be waving his baton to the heartbeat of music in Bahrain once more for a classical event which he hopes will be a dazzling affair.
He will be leading 185 singers, musicians and dancers through their paces during a gala evening of music and song entitled Viva Opera! at the Gulf International Exhibition and Convention Centre at the Gulf Hotel.
Mr Auld, 50, the head of music at St Christopher's School and musical director of Manama Singers, said: "We aim to dazzle the audience with lively music that is immediate, engaging, wonderful and instantly recognisable."
On Friday at 7.30pm the Manama Singers and Bahrain Sinfonia will come together with soloists Soprano, Kerry Boyle and Tenor, Clifford Lister and musicians from across the kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Oman and the UK.
The concert is the latest musical adventure for Mr Auld, who has had the privilege of once leading a choir at London's Royal Albert Hall to perform before the Queen. He said: "It's wonderful to lift your arms and create beautiful sounds made by an energetic and enthusiastic group of musicians who are equally thrilled to perform before a good audience ... it gets the adrenaline flowing.
"A conductor's job is to pull it all together and create that WOW effect! I am nervous when I am off stage but never when in character.
"I think big and am ambitious and I challenge my musicians to go beyond what they believe they can do. They have always taken the challenge and grabbed the music.
"Collectively we have taken this fantastic journey and have always been amazed at what we can do together as a group."
Friday's performance will be drawn from three different operas.
It will include Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet and three songs from Italian composer Verdi's opera La Traviata.
The big finale will feature the work of Russian composer Alexander Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor.
Mr Auld said: "It will be entertaining opera ...not heavy and not high brow."
As well as experienced singers the choir will also include some talented children from his school's choir adding their own touch of "zeal and passion" to the performance.
Tickets for Viva Opera! are available at Al Osra, The Bookcase and Dilmun Club. For more information log on to www.manamasingers.org
