Amman Opera Festival prepares for second round in 2018

CAIRO – 14 November 2017: Following its success this year, the Amman Opera Festival in Jordan is currently undergoing preparations for its next round, which is set to commence in fall of 2018.

The Amman Opera’s La Traviata performances, which were held at the Roman Amphitheater on July 22, proved to be an unprecedented success. The second round of the opera festival will feature even more performances, events and concerts.

Founded by soprano Zeina Barhoum, the festival is supported by Princess Muna al-Hussein, who will continue to fund the festival for its upcoming second edition. Barhoum founded the festival in order to encourage the appreciation and encouragement of opera culture within the Middle East, with hopes that Jordan could one day see its own opera house within Amman. It is the first festival in the Arab world dedicated to opera, and marks a new era in the Arab artistic development.

"La Traviata," which featured Barhoum as lead singer, was based on the opera by Italian libretto Giuseppe Verdi. The story revolves around the lives of French Bohemians in the late 19th century. Over 150 musicians, singers and performers from various nationalities participated in the festival.