Dubai Opera at 10: Lara Ewing on world premieres, Trevor Noah and a shape‑shifting stage redefining live culture
Head of Dubai Opera on how she keeps Dubai’s most adaptable stage magical after a decade
Dubai: “Our calendar for the 2026–2027 season is looking pretty full!” That’s Lara Ewing with a bright, proud smile as the UAE’s iconic cultural landmark Dubai Opera prepares to celebrate its 10th year of existence.
For the dynamic Head of Dubai Opera, this milestone is deeply personal. Even amid wider regional uncertainties, ticket sales remain robust and the venue continues to draw packed houses, suggesting that the appetite for live performance remains strong.
Just last week, British comedian Jimmy Carr drew a packed house at Dubai Opera, a stark and hilarious contrast to the classical grandeur that usually defines an opera house, yet a perfect testament to how seamlessly the venue moves between genres.
“Despite everything going on, people still want to go out, experience live culture, and connect with each other. Our ticket sales are holding up exceptionally well, proving that the hunger for live performance in Dubai is as strong as it’s ever been,” she tells Gulf News.
And yet, just hours before the lights come up and the crowds stream through its doors, Dubai Opera can feel like an entirely different world.
That was the side we discovered when Gulf News stepped inside the venue for our signature video series, Inside Access with Manjusha Radhakrishnan.
Given exclusive behind-the-scenes access while the venue was empty, we explored its quieter corners and uncovered the nooks and crannies the public rarely gets to see. Standing inside the empty 1,900-seat auditorium before the evening crowds arrive, there’s an undeniable magic in the air.
To the public, Dubai Opera has spent the last decade serving as a majestic sanctuary in Downtown Dubai, a place to dress up with phones on silent mode and lose yourself in live culture for a few hours. But behind the scenes, it’s a warm, highly adaptable home for world-class creativity.
“When I first started at Dubai Opera, the seats weren’t in yet and it was concrete over here,” Lara recalls, looking out across the hall.
“I remember standing way up at the back and just looking and going, ‘Is this really going to be ready in time for the 31st of August 2016?’ But yes, it was. Of course, it was. It started with an absolute bang with Domingo, with Trieste Opera, and here we are a decade later. I am a totally proud mum and this is my playground!”
A stage that can transform
What has made the venue so special over the past ten years isn’t just its striking design, but its open-minded and inclusive approach to programming, says Lara.
On any given week, the hall can transition seamlessly from a symphony orchestra to the sharp, unvarnished stand-up comedy of acts such as Jimmy Carr, Nemr or Trevor Noah.
“We’re super adaptable, so we’re as diverse as the community of Dubai,” Yuwing explains. “We’ve got something for everyone — different cultures, different backgrounds of everyone. What I love is that we can go from comedy like Jimmy Carr to another comedian like we just had, Nemr, who sold out two shows with us, which was absolutely incredible. And then we can change over to a symphony orchestra. The flexibility of this venue is really what makes it so special.” And that flexibility relies on remarkable engineering hidden beneath the velvet and timber.
Depending on the production, the auditorium’s side boxes can rotate 180 degrees, while giant hydraulic lifts can swallow the entire ground-floor seating area, converting the traditional theatre into a flat-floor venue in hours.
Over its first decade, this dynamic space has hosted Viennese debutante balls, professional squash courts, Emirati weddings and even torrential indoor downpours for Singin’ in the Rain.
A season of surprises
Looking ahead to the newly revealed 2026–2027 roster, Lara promises an array of new experiences for audiences.
“We’re trying to bring some world premieres here, which we have succeeded in doing,” she says.
“We’ll have a few different world premieres, and artists who have never been to Dubai before. There are some things in the program that you will absolutely love, and some that you’ll think, ‘I’m not really that interested in,’ and that’s fine. If you loved every single thing on the program, it probably means we’re a bit beige, a bit bland. There’s got to be something that is different and loved for everyone.”
The landmark season launches in September with an extraordinary 10th Anniversary Gala featuring acclaimed soprano Fatma Said and the UAE National Orchestra, followed by the Ukrainian National Ballet’s fresh adaptation of The Marriage of Figaro.
“Our first performance of the season is going to be The Marriage of Figaro by the Ukrainian National Ballet,” Lara tells Gulf News.
“It’s a ballet version of it, so it’s a lot more accessible. It’s funny, it’s light, the costumes are incredible, and so it’s going to be a really nice opportunity for people to just come and lose themselves in live performance and sit next to other people, enjoy being around each other.”
The coming months bring a rich mix of international and regional talent, from the high-energy rock of God Save The Queen and The Amy Winehouse Band to the soulful sounds of Lebanese singer Marilyne Naaman.
Theatre lovers and comedy fans are equally catered to with the return of the Dubai Comedy Festival and the schedule continues to cross genres with Gipsy Kings Symphonic, British artist Benjamin Clementine and Ministry of Sound Classical, alongside two exclusive stand-up nights with Trevor Noah.
“What’s more, bringing world-class institutions like the Bolshoi here for the first time is huge for us,” Lara says.
“We’re trying to bring world premieres and artists who have never been to Dubai before, giving our audiences experiences they used to have to travel abroad to see.”
The season also welcomes back pianist Guy Manoukian for his landmark tenth performance at the venue, alongside classical virtuoso Denis Matsuev.
“When you look at artists who keep coming back year after year, it really shows the relationship we’ve built,” Lara reflects.
“Behind the scenes, the team works so hard because everyone here genuinely believes in the arts and live performance. It’s why performers feel at home here, and why audiences keep coming back.”
Keeping the magic alive
Maintaining such a premier venue through a decade of nonstop performances requires immense dedication and constant care.
“We have very high standards, obviously,” Lara smiles.
“We keep the Botox and the fillers going throughout the season, but the team really do and it’s just a constant maintenance. Behind the scenes, people are really, really working and putting in the effort because we love it. Everyone here really believes in the arts, in culture, in live performance, in whatever form that is.”
That warmth extends to the global headliners who step onto the stage.
“Honestly, what I’ve found with artists is the better the artist, the less demands that they have,” Lara reveals as she shows us the well-lit make-up room. “Typically, if it’s an artist that we’ve got who’s absolutely on top of their game, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, come in! I’ve got some tea here. Would you like a cup of tea? I’ll pour you one.’”
The best seat in the house
While world-renowned artists may view performing at Dubai Opera as a career badge of honour, Yuwing’s favourite spot in the house isn’t a VIP section.
“I actually really, really love sitting in two different places,” she shares.
“One is way back in the top of the Grand Circle, at the very back because the acoustics there are beautiful. It means that I can see the audience and I can see what’s happening on stage, and you just feel the grandeur of the whole space.
“And then the other place, right at the back on top floor, I actually just like watching the audience members a lot of the time. I love watching people’s faces. You can see different ages, genders, backgrounds, cultures, everything, and watching them all kind of gasp at the same moment, or relax, or laugh at the same joke.
As Dubai Opera enters its second decade, that connection with its audience remains at the heart of Lara’s vision.
“I see us still listening to the audiences and adapting with them. That’s what we’ve been doing for the last decade, and we’ll continue to adapt and do that in a super high quality and really successful and enjoyable way.”
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