The creative process for our 2018 opera project – Water in the Desert: A Zayed Legacy – has well and truly commenced. The long weekend of creative devising started with an introductory session opened by Professor Kenneth Wilson, Advisor to HE Sheikh Nahayan bin Mabarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Tolerance. This one-hour session featured talks from devising partners – Lest We Forget and Goumbook, and also showcased some of the early concepts the students have already developed.
The second day saw all three devising groups – dance, design and the core company – get down to work exploring choreographic, design, storyline and musical inspirations. The team from Lest We Forget have been inspiring artists with their knowledge and insights into water-related cultural memories. The energy is palpable and the ideas are coming thick and fast.
The final production will be staged in October. This project is a collaboration with the Ministry of Tolerance and celebrates the Year of Zayed. It will be presented in partnership with The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi.