Abu Dhabi Festival returns for its 23rd edition on October 10, running to December 19 with orchestral concerts, jazz, ballet and a debut children’s biennale. The opening night at Etihad Arena features the UAE National Orchestra, and Hans Zimmer headlines the season with The Next Level at the same venue on 13 November.
Abu Dhabi Festival opening night: the UAE National Orchestra
The festival opens on 10 October with the UAE National Orchestra, conducted by François López-Ferrer — winner of the 2024 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award — with Georgian pianist David Khrikuli as soloist. The full programme is on the Abu Dhabi Festival site.
The programme pairs Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Suppé’s Light Cavalry overture and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8. The concert runs 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM with doors at 7:00 PM, and it is a ticketed event with assigned seating; students aged 23 and under pay AED 50 for Silver category tickets.
Hans Zimmer: The Next Level at Etihad Arena
Zimmer brings The Next Level to Etihad Arena on 13 November, an 8:30 PM show built around his 19-piece band, choir and full orchestra, with the immersive lighting and staging the tour is known for.
Tickets are on sale via Etihad Arena, from AED 299 for Upper Tier Bronze to AED 1,499 for Floor Royal, with Silver at AED 579 and Gold at AED 879. The event carries an age restriction.
Children’s Biennale and the rest of the programme
November also brings the Children’s Biennale, described as the Arab world’s first dedicated outdoor children’s art biennale, to Umm Al Emarat Park from 6 November to 6 December — part of the festival’s activities for the UAE’s Year of the Family.
Elsewhere the programme spans jazz, ballet, dance, recitals and education projects for schools and families across the capital. The edition also marks 30 years of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, the outfit that started all this in 2004; this year’s Festival Abroad tour drew more than 142,000 visitors across five countries, per Gulf News.
It lands in a busy UAE festival season alongside Dubai Art Season 2026 and BRED Abu Dhabi.
When is Abu Dhabi Festival 2026?
It runs from 10 October to 19 December 2026, with events at venues across Abu Dhabi including Etihad Arena on Yas Island and Umm Al Emarat Park.
When and where is Hans Zimmer playing in Abu Dhabi?
Hans Zimmer brings The Next Level to Etihad Arena on 13 November 2026. Doors open at 7:00 PM and the show runs from 8:30 PM to midnight.
How much are Hans Zimmer Abu Dhabi tickets?
From AED 299 for Upper Tier Bronze to AED 1,499 for Floor Royal, with Silver at AED 579 and Gold at AED 879. Tickets are on sale via Etihad Arena and Platinumlist.
