Updated 7 November 2026
Choose an Arabic music evening in Dubai by the sound you want to spend time with. At Soul Kitchen, classic Arabic melodies become material for jazz improvisation over dinner. Hiba Tawaji and Ibrahim Maalouf put voice and trumpet at the centre of a theatre concert. Wasla brings together Arabic song, oud and contemporary regional acts on one outdoor stage. Guy Manoukian is the December choice for piano-led arrangements and original compositions.
| Date | Event | What to listen for | Listed commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mondays from 8 pm as advertised | Tarab Jazz at Soul Kitchen, Business Bay | Arabic melodies reworked by a live jazz band | Dinner reservation. Confirm the first live set |
| Fri 27 Nov, 8:30 pm | À la Française at Dubai Opera | Hiba Tawaji’s voice and Ibrahim Maalouf’s trumpet | Seated theatre ticket from AED 355 |
| Sat 28 Nov, 6 pm | Wasla at Jubilee Park, Expo City | Four acts, including Marcel Khalife and the three ouds of Le Trio Joubran | Festival ticket from AED 350 before fees |
| Fri 11 Dec, 8 pm | Guy Manoukian at Dubai Opera | Piano-led arrangements of familiar melodies alongside original work | Seated theatre ticket from AED 330 |
Tarab Jazz · Hear a familiar melody change over dinner
Soul Kitchen on Marasi Drive, Business Bay advertises Tarab Jazz on Mondays. The announcement named 9 November as the launch. The venue’s announcement describes classic Arabic music reworked through jazz. In this format, the musicians can stretch a phrase or answer it with another instrument while leaving the tune recognisable. Launch coverage names Wassim Bou Melham on wattar, a plucked string instrument. The venue advertised 8 pm. The launch report gave 8 pm for arrival and 9 pm for live music. When you book, ask which applies to your date and who is playing. Soul Kitchen’s Tarab Jazz announcement · Launch timing and programme
Choose this if you want the table and the music in the same room. When booking, ask where the band plays, whether your table runs through the first set, and whether your date has a cover or minimum spend. The venue offers à la carte dining. Its general Monday hours run 6 pm to 2 am, while the band follows its own schedule. If people are arriving in stages, give the restaurant a realistic time for the whole party, then plan dinner around the downbeat. Soul Kitchen reservations
The restaurant’s menu brings the Lebanese and Latin American influences to the table. Hummus chimichurri pairs green chickpeas and tahini with chimichurri, pine nuts and zaatar bread. Shawarma empanadas put chicken shawarma inside pastry and serve it with guasacaca and mango pico de gallo. If you want to give the first set your attention, order a few dishes for the table while everyone is still talking and ask whether the kitchen can pace the rest around the music. Confirm the table terms separately, since the dinner menu gives dish choices and the restaurant sets the event conditions. Soul Kitchen dinner menu · Soul Kitchen reservations
27 November · Hiba Tawaji and Ibrahim Maalouf at Dubai Opera
À la Française is the pick if you want a singer and instrumentalist in dialogue. Tawaji’s voice carries the words and Maalouf’s trumpet adds another melodic voice. Dubai Opera describes a programme drawing on French musical heritage, with jazz, chanson and classical influences, and labels the performance Arabic, while the authorised seller labels the event French. The promoter describes a show shaped by French musical heritage. If you’re booking for someone who wants to follow the lyrics or spoken introductions, confirm the language mix with Live Nation before paying. Their joint tour poster names both artists and the Dubai date. Dubai Opera’s performance and language listing · Tawaji and Maalouf’s tour announcement
The show starts 8:30 pm on Friday 27 November in the Main Auditorium. The venue advertises admission from AED 355 and Dubai Calendar lists a range of AED 355–755. Look at the exact seats available before splitting the booking across several people. The venue says tickets are non-refundable. Leave enough time to get into the auditorium if you’re meeting for dinner first. Dubai Calendar price range · Dubai Opera booking terms
The seller gives 8 pm auditorium doors, an 8:30 pm start and roughly two hours for the show. That puts the finish at about 10:30 pm if it runs to schedule. Two tickets at the published endpoints cost AED 710–1,510 at the listed rates. The seller excludes under-sixes, requires tickets from age six and requires adult accompaniment for children. Aim to be in your seats before the performance starts. The seller’s event notice says late seating is at the interval, if there is one, and that missed admission due to lateness is non-refundable. Authorised ticket terms and French language label · Live Nation’s show listing
For a pair buying together, start with a price you’re comfortable paying and look at how the seats face the stage. A central view gives you a chance to follow both artists. If the person beside you mainly comes for the vocal performance, an angled seat that favours one side may be a different compromise from a more distant pair. Dubai Opera publishes Opera Plaza as the taxi pickup and drop-off point. Agree on a meeting place before doors so nobody has to find their seat after the first number. Dubai Opera venue directions · À la Française ticket terms
28 November · Arabic song and oud at Wasla
Choose Wasla if you’d rather spend one evening with several approaches to regional music. At Jubilee Park, the promoter bills Marcel Khalife, whose work brings Arabic song and oud together, and Le Trio Joubran, three brothers composing and playing on three ouds. Hearing one instrument used in two distinct ways is one reason to go. TootArd brings desert blues, reggae and retro pop, and Fatima brings R&B and jazz influences to the same bill. The organiser’s TootArd reel promotes their appearance on this date. Wasla promoter and full lineup · Wasla’s TootArd reel
The promoter lists 4:30 pm doors, a 6 pm show start and all-ages entry. Published tiers are AED 350 Bronze, AED 550 Silver and AED 750 Gold, and Ticketmaster lists ticket and order charges separately. Ticketmaster calls this reserved seating and shows a limit of eight tickets. Use the map to choose the seats your group actually wants and check the final cost. The event information lists no refunds or cancellations. If you’re going mainly for Khalife or the trio, check the running order before planning a late arrival. Give everyone the Jubilee Park pin, since Expo City hosts events at several locations. Wasla times and tiers · Ticketmaster booking
Two Wasla tickets cost AED 700 in Bronze, AED 1,100 in Silver or AED 1,500 in Gold, before fees. The Bronze total is close to two starting tickets for À la Française. At Wasla, that buys access to the four-act bill. At the Opera, it buys a seat for an evening built around two collaborators. Wasla’s all-ages policy also gives a family with a child under six a published entry option between those two dates. Check the seller’s seat map and accessible ticket options for the park before buying. Wasla admission tiers · Ticketmaster map and charges
Expo City publishes a 6–11 pm event window, while the promoter’s calendar extends to 11:59 pm. Keep the pickup flexible until the running order is published. Expo City lists Jubilee Parking E as free public parking with nine accessible spaces. For the Metro, use the Red Line’s Expo 2020 station and check the return service for the time you expect to leave. Accessible parking and an accessible seat are separate arrangements. Use Ticketmaster’s Accessible Tickets link to check the booking route or contact the seller about a companion place before paying. Expo City’s festival listing and parking map · Expo City travel directions · Wasla accessible tickets and map
The seller says mobile-entry tickets must be accessed on your phone. Open the tickets before joining the entry queue. The event information also lists a 30 × 30 × 15 cm bag limit and excludes outside food and drink except baby food and medically required dietary items. If you’re bringing a small child, check the child’s ticket requirement and stroller access in advance. The all-ages listing establishes who may attend. The ticket and entry details tell you what you need for your family on the night. Wasla ticket and venue rules
11 December · Guy Manoukian’s piano-led arrangements
Guy Manoukian returns to the Dubai Opera Main Auditorium at 8 pm on Friday 11 December. His tenth appearance at the venue is billed around original compositions and new arrangements of familiar music. Dubai Opera points to his interpretations of Fairouz, Abdel Halim Hafez and international jazz standards. If you know those melodies from sung versions, listen for how the piano brings out the phrasing and how an arrangement shifts the emphasis of the original. The programme is a fit for someone who wants the regional repertoire to come through the arrangement as much as through the words. Dubai Opera programme and tickets · Dubai Opera’s 11 December announcement
Admission starts at AED 330 on the venue listing. Choose the seat around what you want to see. If the pianist’s hands are a priority, ask the box office what it knows about the stage setup before selecting a side. If you’re deciding between this and À la Française, the stronger distinction is musical. Manoukian puts the piano and arrangement first, while Tawaji and Maalouf’s booking turns on the exchange between voice and trumpet. Guy Manoukian booking and house terms
Platinumlist lists 6 pm building access, 7:30 pm auditorium doors and about two hours including a break. For an 8 pm curtain, plan around a 10 pm finish. The seller lists a six-year minimum, a ticket for each attendee aged six or older and adult accompaniment for children. Two admissions at the advertised starting price total AED 660. If both Dubai Opera dates work and you want to preview the styles, the ticket pages feature Manoukian’s “Leilet Hob” and Maalouf’s “The Smile of Rita”. Treat them as listening samples before choosing a ticket. Manoukian ticket rules and preview · À la Française artist previews
Choose by what you want to hear
For a night built around the oud, Wasla gives you the contrast between Khalife’s song tradition and the writing for three instruments in Le Trio Joubran. Book for the bill as a whole if you’d happily hear all four acts. If you have a single artist in mind, wait for the set times before making a dinner or pickup plan. For a shorter commitment and a table where the group can eat together, ask Soul Kitchen to confirm the Tarab Jazz set and the table terms on your date.
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