​The Royal Opera House Muscat played host to the acclaimed Czech National Ballet on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 March, an event which sent ripples of humour and joy throughout the audience of both local and international ballet fans.  The dancers of the Czech National Ballet under the artistic direction of Filip Barenkiewicz, were exquisite in their execution of Sir Frederick Ashton’s demanding choreography of energetic pas de deux and solos.

On the company’s recent arrival in Oman, Barekiewicz heralded the collaboration as an historic moment for both countries saying “I am thrilled that our dancers are able to perform on this important stage, a stage that has hosted famous operas and renowned artistic companies from around the world. Our performance of La Fille mal Gardée will pay tribute to the timeless allure of ballet, which transcends borders and captivates audiences with its universal appeal“.

The dancers were accompanied by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of their founder director, Sergey Smbatyan whose return to the podium at the opera house was much celebrated. The orchestra played Herold’s score with an extraordinary sensitivity and joy, adding further dimension to a ballet already packed with fun and flair.

The significance of the moment was echoed in a statement from the Director General of the Royal Opera House Muscat, Umberto Fanni, who began by thanking the Czech National Ballet for their perfect contribution to the season’s programme. “We are privileged to welcome you to the opera house, it has been an absolute pleasure to host your beautiful ballet on our stage. We are also delighted to see Maestro Smbatyan conducting a classical ballet, the breadth of his artistry is remarkable“.

The second half of the opera house season continues to draw new and loyal audiences to the stage. La Fille Mal Gardée welcomed more than 1600 people through the doors to add to an incredible 7000 visitors since January. The special upcoming season of Ramadhan sees three concerts which are intended to offer spiritual reflection during this time and it is useful to know that the opera house season will continue until the end of May this year. Still to come is a sensational acrobatic ballet version of Swan Lake, two exciting family shows in Stomp! and Cirkopolis, the bittersweet and ever popular opera La Bohéme, a classical concert in homage to Maria Callas with the legendary Leo Nucci alongside the much sought after soprano star Sonya Yoncheva, and a final Arabic musical in Scheherazade with the beloved Cairo Opera House. Further to the main programme of events, the active education and outreach calendar offers more activities, workshops, talks, and creative opportunities to open the door to musical performance to the whole community.