Layan Damanhouri
JEDDAH - World-renowned Egyptian musician Omar Khairat performed for the first time in Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Economic City on Friday night, launching the Watar music concert series, and what was considered the first time Saudi families got to enjoy live entertainment in a single setting.
The show commenced at around 8 p.m. with a dinner followed by the concert performed by pianist Khairat and the accompanying orchestra.
Tickets for 880 seats were sold out within a short span despite many citizens’ criticisms on media outlets and social networks of the high cost that ranged between SR1,000 and SR2,200 per seat.
The tickets offered a view of the stage and a 3-course dinner in the open air at Juman Park.
Khairat is an award-winning composer and conductor whose work blends contemporary Arabic and Western music.
In Cairo or Dubai, Khairat’s concerts are held at opera houses or theater venues already equipped with sound and full equipment for concerts and can host an audience of over 2,000 attendees, minimizing the cost of setting up the stage and equipment, organizers said.
Officials of the organizing committee said that the outdoor venue at the Juman Park overlooking the sea, the lighting effects, and the sound quality reflect the price of the tickets.
The concert, the first of its kind in the Kingdom, was organized by King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in partnership with event planner Benchmark and in coordination with the General Entertainment Authority (GEA). The GEA facilitated the licensing and logistical procedures for organizing the event.
The choice of venue for KAEC was due to its previous accommodation of quality events in the past year, such as Arabs Got Talent, Hakaya Misk, and Bay La Sun Weekend.
