One of the most anticipated events during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, D’reesha Performing Arts Festival started yesterday with mesmerising performances in the presence of H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation.
The Oxygen Park in Education City has been turned into a festival stage for D’reesha being held under the theme ‘Travel and Adventure’.
Over seven days, the festival will showcase a variety of performances in Arabic and English, from storytelling, music, and poetry to visual arts and theatre.
The Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani; Minister of Sports and Youth, H E Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali and Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi and several other dignitaries were also present during the opening ceremony.
The opening performance by Qatar Symphony was divided into three segments – ‘The Beginning’, ‘The Challenge and the Achievement’ and ‘The Future of Qatar’.
The second performance ‘The Journey of Ibn Battuta’ by regional artistes and QF students is an overarched theme of the festival ‘Travel & Adventure,’ which was inspired by the traveller who explored Middle East and Afro-Eurasia.
H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of the QF and H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of the QF touring D’reesha Performing Arts Festival, yesterday.
The third performance on the opening day was ‘Ajyal Tunes’ presented by Doha Film Festival and it featured musical performances by a variety of Qatar-based talent.
“D’reesha presents a unique experience that will span the entirety of this week. It is an outlet for connectedness and self-expression, bringing together many artists and talents with various abilities under one roof, while highlighting Arab culture, language, and heritage,” said Wellbeing Specialist at QF Ghoroor Abdulwaheed during the opening of the festival.
The second edition of the D’reesha Performing Arts Festival has a STEAM-focused addition, titled D’reesha of Invention and Innovation, which will allow visitors to conduct experiments and participate in hands-on workshops, all while learning about various scientists, scholars, and researchers from the Arab countries and their contributions to the world.
The main performances during the festival include Rumi: The Musical and several other acts. The festival will also have cultural performances from Qatar and other nations such as Morocco, Senegal, Turkey, and Greece.
Local heritage will also play a large part in the festival, with Al Khater House hosting the Poetry Majlis, traditional games, and film screenings, along with merchandising and the return of Torba Farmers Market, until December 17.
A series of artists will present poems about Palestine during the festival, including Rawdah AlHajj and Anas Al Dogheim, while Dalal Abu Amneh will showcase the history of the Arab and Islamic world by combining music with art and science. Also semi-finals matches will be screened on December 13 and 14 for D’reesha visitors. Entry to the festival is by tickets.