Dh100 Tickets Drop as UAE National Orchestra Returns to Stage
Culture goers across Saadiyat Island and Downtown Dubai have a major date to mark on the calendar this week. The UAE National Orchestra is kicking off its second season with a new show titled *To This Land, We Belong*, bringing three live world premieres by Emirati composers straight to local stages.
Dh100 Tickets Open for Abu Dhabi and Dubai Shows This Week
The performance lands first at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island on September 18, 2026, before moving to Dubai Opera in Downtown Dubai two days later on September 20. Each show runs for 90 minutes, including an interval, with ticket prices set between Dh100 and Dh200 through the UAE National Orchestra website.
Led by conductor Ahmed Farag, the UAE National Orchestra and Choir will present brand-new compositions from three Emirati musicians. Khalid Nassir opens the lineup with *The Founder’s Journey*, a six-part work tracking departure, discovery, and return to reflect on the life and philosophy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Ali Kano’s concerto *Homeland Melodies* blends traditional oriental instruments into a contemporary orchestral framework, drawing from regional heritage. The program wraps up with *Lightning, Thunder & Longing*, an orchestral and choral suite composed by Fayez Al Saeed featuring poetry by Emirati poet Arif Al Khajah.
Audiences in both cities will be hearing all three compositions performed publicly for the first time as they enter the orchestra’s permanent repertoire.
