Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A sizzling season of entertainment entitled Manama City of Joy is planned to enthral the young and old alike this summer … including the hit London West End production of the Sound of Music.
The fun will start from June 14 and carry on until July 15 with a mixture of local and international acts and family activities at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre (BIECC).
Minister of Culture Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa announced the launch of the Bahrain Summer Festival 2012 on Monday at the National History Museum.
The festival is in its fourth annual edition and will feature a range of entertainment including singing, dancing and circus skills.
The show will kick off with Slava’s Snowshow, a performance from Russia. The act is a fusion of traditional and contemporary theatrical clowning arts and will take place at 7pm from June 14-19.
A highly-acclaimed Spanish flamenco dance show by Los Vivancos entitled Aeturnum will follow on June 21- 22 at 8.30pm. The group will showcase their heritage through a cultural dance show.
A wooden circus by a group from the Czech Republic, Karromato, will bring various theatrical backgrounds to a three-ring circus made with wooden marionettes alongside traditional music on June 26- 29 at 5pm.
Flautist Omar Faruk, a recipient of the Best Artist Award from the Turkish Music Awards in 2003, will perform on June 30 at 8.30pm. His style mixes traditional Middle Eastern sounds with a modern twist.
Saudi Arabian hip-hop artist Qusai will perform on July 3 at 8.30pm. His performance will also feature Bahraini talents DJ Outlaw and Flipperachi, as well as a traditional Bahraini Laiwa band.
Arabs Got Talent TV show finalist Hala Alturk will take to the stage on July 6 at 7pm, where the nine-year-old vocalist will perform audience favourites like My Lovely Daughter and Sleep.
One of the most loved and successful musicals, The Sound of Music, will also be staged direct from London’s West End starting on July 10- 15 at 7pm every night.
It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers and tells the tale of how a woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a naval officer widower during the Nazi-era.
Many songs from the musical have become standards, including the title song The Sound of Music, Edelweiss, My Favourite Things, Climb Ev’ry Mountain and Do-Re-Mi.
The original Broadway production, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel opened in 1959 and the show has enjoyed numerous productions and revivals since then.
It was adapted as a 1965 film musical starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, which won five Academy Awards. The Sound of Music was the final musical written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein; Hammerstein died of cancer nine months after the Broadway premiere.
Throughout the festival the BIECC will be transformed into a city named Nakhool dedicated to promoting education through free workshops and activities, such as LEGO computer workshops, art workshops, puppet shows, book adventures and dance and music programmes. Most of these will be available daily or on weekends.
The price of tickets will be announced shortly although some shows and activities will be free.
For more information, call 80008089 or visit www.bahrainsummer.bh
*See Leisure Guide
