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Internationally-lauded Belgian cellist Mischa Maisky took over the Coca-Cola Arena last night, as he enchanted the Dubai audience with a performance that recieved a minutes-long standing ovation from an appreciative crowd. Joined by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, who were playing under the baton of their Principal Conductor, Sergey Smbatyan, Maisky delivered a rendition of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's 'Variations on a Rococo Theme', and 'Nocturne for Cello and Orchestra', which were bookended by performances of contemporary Maltese composer, Alex Vella Gregory's ‘Riħ’, and another offering from Tchaikovsky, namely, excerpts from his much-celebrated ‘Swan Lake’ ballet.

Legendary Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja teamed up with his country's national orchestra - the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra - and their Principal Conductor Sergey Smbatyan, for a showcase of Maltese musical heritage, as the artists deliverd a concert full of beloved classics from the opera repertoire, alongside a number of contemporary works by Maltese composers. 

Marking their debut in the United Arab Emirates, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under the leadership of conductor Dmitry Yablonksy, joined up with famed German pianist Severin von Eckardstein and renowned cellist Gary Hoffman (Canada/USA/France) to present a diverse programme of works including contributions from Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonín Dvořák, and contemporary Maltese composer Albert Garzia.

The InClassica International Music Festival is celebrating its tenth anniversary in Dubai with a series of concerts bringing together some of the top global players within of the classical genre. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be participating in the festival between September 14 and 16, marking its return to concert touring after the fallout of COVID-19 pandemic. Presented by the European Foundation for Support of Culture (EUFSC) together with SAMIT Event Group, InClassica is set to welcome 37 renowned soloists, seven orchestras and twelve conductors.

Audiences present at the InClassica International Music Festival experienced a concert with a difference on the 13th of September as Italian bandoneonist Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi landed in Dubai to present an evening full of music that is not usually seen in classical music festivals. Starting the evening with a series of excerpts from soundtracks by the renowned Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota, Pietrodarchi, joined by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Sergey Smbatyan, then quickly turned to the music of famed Argentine composer, Astor Piazzolla, performing a series of works by the artist in honour of the 100-year anniversary of his birth. 

On Sunday 12th September, celebrated British cellist Steven Isserlis returned to the InClassica International Music Festival once more to deliver a second concert, this time at the Coca Cola Arena, and in accompaniment with Sergey Smbatyan and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Kicking off with a performance of Alexey Shor’s Musical Pilgrimage, the cellist then moved to Joseph Haydn’s brilliant Concerto for Cello and Orchestra No. 1, before the orchestra returned after the interval to close off the evening with a rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3.

Marking the half-way point of this vast festival, celebrated conductor Dmitry Yablonsky and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra joined up with Turkish pianist Fazil Say, performing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's wonderful Piano Concerto No. 21, along with Gioachino Rossini's overture to 'La Gazza Ladra', and Johannes Brahms's Symphony No. 2, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. 

On Friday 10th September the InClassica International Music Festival welcomed not just one, but two acclaimed soloists in the form of Belgian violinist Leonard Schreiber and South Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son. Accompanied by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of conductor Marius Stravinsky, the musicians will be presenting a programme that includes works by Sergei Prokofiev, Bedřich Smetana, and Composer-in-Residence Alexey Shor.

The internationally-revered Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder dominated proceedings at InClassica on Thursday 9th September, teaming up with conductor Daniel Raiskin and the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra to present a programme of works including pieces by Johannes Brahms and Antonín Dvořák at the illustrious Dubai Opera.

The famous American violinist Gil Shaham arrived in Dubai to perform at the InClassica International Music Festival on Wednesday 8th September at the Dubai Opera. Joined by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Sergey Smbatyan, the soloist performed Alexey Shor's 'Seascapes' and Johannes Brahms's Violin Concerto in D Major with the orchestra, who then also went on to deliver a rendition of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's beloved 'Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasie'.