A 75-piece orchestra is set to perform an emotional and evocative musical score conducted by multi-award-winning composer George Fenton at the Blue Planet in Concert Live events in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi this December.

The concerts, which will take place on the Corniche breakwater on December 12 and 13, will open the Abu Dhabi stopover of the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race (VOR).

The BBC’s highly acclaimed ‘Blue Planet in Concert Live’ combines spectacular, specially cut high definition footage from the award winning TV series – The Blue Planet – with music performed by a live orchestra.

The show will raise the curtain on the three-week VOR stopover celebrations.

Janet Hassouneh, founder and executive director of the UAE’s National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), said: “This is an a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us and one which we are all excited about. Both the Volvo Ocean Race and Fenton are at the pinnacle of their world renowned areas of expertise, so it’s nothing short of an honour to have their confidence in our ability. Make no mistake, each and every member of the orchestra will give of their very best and the audience will not be disappointed!”

The orchestra was founded in 2011 and is made up of over 100 professional musicians who are all resident in the UAE, said a statement.

Five times Oscar nominated composer, George Fenton, is best known for his work in film and television, having written scores for over 100 films and collaborating with some of the world’s most influential filmmakers. His film work ranges widely, from Groundhog Day with Bill Murray to Ghandi with Ben Kingsley, it said.

“The prospect of playing for the first time in Arabia, with the local NSO Orchestra on a floating stage beneath a 10 metre screen, promises to be the show's most spectacular setting yet,” said Fenton.

Hosted by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), the stopover festival will take place in a purpose-built VOR Destination Village, the size of five football pitches, on the UAE capital’s Corniche Breakwater, packed with edutainment and entertainment and highlighting Abu Dhabi’s union with the sea and its maritime heritage.

There will be dhow racing, pearl diving showcases, traditional sea shanty performances, ocean conservation exhibitions and activities such as turtle conservation talks, the statement said.

More than 200,000 people are expected to visit Abu Dhabi’s VOR Destination Village, which will be open to the public from December 12 to January 3, when the race fleet departs for its next endurance sailing leg to Sanya, China, it added. - TradeArabia News Service