A musical inspired by the poems of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will have its premiere in January 2016.

The Brand Dubai, the innovation arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, yesterday announced that it has signed an agreement with Rahbani Productions to create a stage production of ‘Al Fares' (The Knight), a musical nspired by Sheikh Mohammed's poems.

Written by renowned Lebanese theatrical director Marwan Rahbani, the one-act Arabic play depicts the horseback journey of a knight to rescue his lady-love ‘Shomous' from her kidnapper ‘Ghairan'.

A richly allegorical fantasy play, ‘Al Fares' tells the story of a warrior's determination to ensure his people are safe and prosperous in a world surrounded by violence and hatred.

During his perilous journey, the knight poetically muses on his deepest values, his aspirations for his people and the role of a leader.

The narrative, Sheikh Mohammed's poems, provokes a deep philosophical contemplation on themes ranging from love and humanity to leadership, courage and wisdom.

The knight's musings reveal him to be a poet-warrior who deeply loves his people and is willing to fight all odds to secure peace and prosperity for his land while remaining true to his human values.

The stage production of ‘Al Fares' will be a unique spectacle full of colour, music and dance featuring dazzling special effects, stunning visual splendour and enchanting choreography.

In order to make the play accessible to diverse audiences, English subtitles will be displayed on large monitors.

Commenting on the initiative, Mona Al Merri, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office said that the play's messages assume particular significance at a time when the Arab world needs to draw deeply from its culture, values and heritage to combat the challenges it faces. Al Rahbani, President and CEO of Rahbani Productions, expressed his happiness in partnering with Brand Dubai to present the unique stage show, which he described as one of the most significant productions in his artistic career.

He also said that he was honoured to be part of a creative project inspired by the poems of a great leader like Sheikh Mohammed, adding that the play will mark a milestone in the history of Arab musical theatre.
Source: Gulf News