Princesses Lalla Khadija, Lalla Meryem, and Lalla Hasnaa, accompanied by Ms. Brigitte Macron, attended on Wednesday evening the opening show of the Royal Theater of Rabat, an architectural masterpiece with futuristic design which harmoniously blends traditional and modern aesthetics.
The show started with a film screening on Royal Theater, an institution reflecting the cultural and artistic renewal of the Kingdom’s capital under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.
After the performance of the national anthem, the Royal Princesses and Spouse of French President as well as the audience enjoyed exceptional moments with pianist Marouan Benabdallah, mezzo-soprano Ahlima Mhamdi, mesmerizing Arab-Andalusian pieces of Samira Kadiri and thrilling concert of oud performer Driss El Maloumi.
The program created a rich dialogue between renowned Tchaikovsky’s concerto, Bizet & Verdi, and Moroccan-Andalusian traditions, celebrating cultural diversity of the Kingdom.
To mark this historic event, Moroccan Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Symphony Orchestra, combined their 76 musicians and 40 choristers, to produce one of the most impressive and memorable concerts under the direction of conductor Dina Bensaïd.
At the end of the show, the Princesses and Ms. Macron were greeted by several artists including Samira Kadiri, soprano, Ahlima Mhamdi, mezzo-soprano, Dina Bensaïd, conductor and concert pianist, Marouan Benabdallah, pianist, Driss El Maloumi, composer and oud virtuoso, and Younes Terfas, director of the Royal Symphony Orchestra.
The Royal Theater of Rabat is designed by Zaha Hadid. The curving design of the structure is inspired by both the nearby river’s winding course and by the aesthetics of Arabic calligraphy. Other elements take their cues from Islamic architecture.
The building includes an 1800-seat interior theatre and a 7000-seat open-air amphitheatre, a smaller theater, workshop spaces, and a restaurant with panoramic views.
The main auditorium displays a crystalline geometric pattern inspired by traditional Moroccan muqarnas, the ornamental vaulted ceilings often seen in Islamic architecture, yet its overall form is futuristic.
The Theatre is one of the centerpieces of a new 110-hectare mixed-use district on the shores of the Bou Regreg River, including malls, residential areas, a national archive, a new archaeological museum, and a business district with skyscrapers on the Salé side of the river.
