DUBAI: The UAE Philharmonic Orchestra began its 2026/27 season in Dubai with a concert built around some of cinema’s most recognisable music — and an unexpected dinosaur appearance that quickly became the evening’s biggest talking point.
The orchestra presented “Reel to Real: A Cinematic Symphony” on September 12 at the New Covent Garden Theatre at Mall of the Emirates. Led by chief conductor Nicolas Mann, the concert brought film music into a live orchestral setting and featured UAE-based vocalists Clarita de Quiroz and Amanda Maalouf.
During the performance of the Jurassic Park theme, a person in a T-Rex costume appeared on stage and took over the conductor’s podium for part of the performance. The unusual moment was filmed and shared online, where the orchestra said it generated almost 2 million views in 24 hours.
The surprise appearance added a playful element to a concert otherwise centred on orchestral interpretations of major film scores. The season-opening programme was designed around music associated with cinema and included the work of composers whose themes have become familiar to audiences beyond classical-music circles.
From film music to a wider UAE cultural programme
The Dubai concert is the beginning of a broader 2026/27 programme for the UAE Philharmonic.
Its next major international engagement is scheduled for September 25 in Kuwait, where the orchestra will perform Danny Elfman’s score live alongside a screening of Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre. Nicolas Mann is scheduled to conduct the performance. The venue has independently confirmed the event.
The orchestra will then return to Dubai for “Fairy Tales with Orchestra” on October 3 at New Covent Garden Theatre, followed by a performance with Gipsy Kings by André Reyes at Dubai Opera on October 22.
The Gipsy Kings concert will combine the group’s flamenco and rumba repertoire with the UAE Philharmonic in a symphonic format. The performance is being presented at Dubai Opera as a collaboration between the group and the orchestra.
A UAE-based orchestra with an international outlook
The UAE Philharmonic Orchestra’s development has taken place over several years. According to the orchestra, its chamber formation was established in 2022 under Nicolas Mann and Xenia Baknina before expanding into a full symphony orchestra. In 2024, it began presenting a full yearly concert season.
Its programme has since moved beyond traditional classical repertoire to include film music, contemporary works, family concerts and collaborations with international performers. The orchestra says its musicians represent more than 20 nationalities, reflecting the international character of the UAE.
That approach has also taken the ensemble beyond the UAE. The upcoming Batman concert in Kuwait is one example of the orchestra presenting a UAE-based cultural production to audiences elsewhere in the Gulf.
For Dubai audiences, the season opener showed how familiar popular culture can be used as an entry point to live orchestral performance. The T-Rex moment added an element of spectacle, but the larger programme places the orchestra’s expanding repertoire and international schedule at the centre of its new season.
The UAE Philharmonic’s 2026/27 calendar includes further Dubai performances later in the year, as well as the return of the Viennese New Year Ball in January 2027.
What happened at the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra’s Dubai season opener?
The UAE Philharmonic Orchestra opened its 2026/27 season with Reel to Real: A Cinematic Symphony on September 12 in Dubai. A T-Rex costume appeared during the Jurassic Park theme and briefly took over the conductor’s podium.
When did the UAE Philharmonic open its 2026/27 season?
The season opened on September 12, 2026, at New Covent Garden Theatre in Dubai.
What was the UAE Philharmonic’s Dubai season opener called?
The concert was titled “Reel to Real: A Cinematic Symphony.” It focused on music associated with major films and was led by Nicolas Mann.
Who conducted the UAE Philharmonic season opener?
Chief conductor Nicolas Mann led the orchestra during the September 12 concert.
How many views did the T-Rex orchestra video receive?
The UAE Philharmonic reported that the video of the T-Rex conducting moment received almost 2 million views in one day.
Where will the UAE Philharmonic perform after Dubai?
The orchestra is scheduled to perform Batman (1989) in Concert in Kuwait on September 25, 2026, at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre.
When will the UAE Philharmonic perform with the Gipsy Kings?
The orchestra is scheduled to join Gipsy Kings by André Reyes for Gipsy Kings Symphonic at Dubai Opera on October 22, 2026.
