ALULA: A two-night event celebrating Persian music is coming to Saudi Arabia’s AlUla as part of the ongoing Winter at Tantora Festival.
Seven influential and renowned Persian musicians — legendary Iranian pop-singer Shahram Shabpareh, classic songstress Leila Forouhar, Ebrahim Hamedi (better known by his stage name Ebi), Sasy, Shadmehr Aghili, Andy and platinum-selling singer and producer Arash Labaf — will entertain the crowds at the historical and cultural site’s Maraya Concert Hall on March 5 and 6.
The event, “Persian Night - Music Without Borders” forms part of Saudi Arabia’s focus on establishing the Winter at Tantora Festival as a hub for cultural exchange and dialogue as well as the sharing of diverse artistic traditions.
Over the past 12 weeks, the festival has presented a variety of cultural, entertainment and artistic activities that bring together eastern and western culture.
Greek musician Yanni, Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli (who both played at last year’s festival) and Moroccan singer Aziza Jalal have all appeared at this year’s edition.
In addition to concerts, several other events have been taking place, including cooking under the stars with chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, the Fursan horse race and the AlUla balloon festival.
There have been tours on offer of Madain Saleh, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, and landmarks such as AlUla’s famous Elephant Rock.
Described as the Kingdom’s archaeological jewel, AlUla has been a meeting point of many civilizations throughout history.
This year’s program was extended for an additional two weeks in January, and is expected to attract more than 40,000 visitors throughout its run.
The Winter at Tantora Festival started on December 19, 2019 and will run to March 7. Tickets can be booked here.