RIYADH: In early September, Versailles wrote an unfamiliar chapter in its long history. The same walls that once carried the sounds of French royal court music reverberated this time with a new rhythm. Among corridors filled with Europe’s old grandeur, the voices and instruments of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir declared that the Kingdom now speaks to the world in a new language: the language of music.
This was more than a concert. It was a symbolic scene that captured the essence of a growing cultural movement—reflecting Ƶ’s transformation as it reshapes its image through strings, voices, and melodies.
More Than Just an Ensemble
Founded in 2019 under the Music Commission, the orchestra and choir were never meant to be just another musical troupe. Their mission was bigger: to create an academic environment for Saudi musicians and give local heritage a global platform.
The Marvels tour has already traveled through Paris, New York, London, Sydney, Tokyo, and Mexico City. Versailles was not only another milestone in Europe’s most storied palace, but also a moment when a new generation of Saudi musicians stood proudly before the world—offering an image of their country that emerges from within, yet opens outward with confidence and passion.
The orchestra’s first international stop was Paris in 2022, where The Masterpieces of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir debuted. The tour expanded to Mexico City, New York, London, Sydney, and Tokyo, before returning home in early 2025 for a performance in Riyadh. In August this year, another Riyadh concert celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir’s Music Education Program after two years of training.
Masterpieces Across Cultures
The tour carved a bridge between Saudi music and global audiences by adapting performances to resonate with each culture. In London, traditional song “Addayt fi Marqab” was fused with an Adele medley. In New York, Frank Sinatra’s classic “Fly Me to the Moon” was reimagined with Eastern rhythms. In Tokyo, audiences heard anime themes performed in Arabic.
At Versailles, in a 90-minute performance, the orchestra blended Saudi traditional and contemporary music with folk dances such as khibaiti, majroor, and khutwa—before shifting into French and even operatic singing. The highlight came with a joint performance alongside the Royal Opera Orchestra, conducted by maestro Hany Farhat. The following day, conductor Reab Ahmed took the baton, widely celebrated as the youngest and first Saudi maestro to lead national orchestra.
A Mosaic of over 100 Musicians
What makes this project remarkable is not just its academic foundation but also the diversity within its ranks. Behind the unified sound stand of over 100 musicians with unique stories.
Some left entirely different careers to follow music: Adwaa Shanan once practiced clinical psychology, Ma’an Al-Yamani worked as a sales consultant, Maha Abdullah in medical care, and Ibrahim Al-Rashed, a pianist, was a network engineer. For them, joining the choir was a life-changing moment.
Their musical tastes are just as varied. Nawaf Al-Jizani, the youngest member, loves classical music—an influence from his father, though he admits to listening to rap like most of his generation. Chorister Fatimah Zahid shone in Versailles with her rendition of “Les Champs-Élysées” in French. Hataf and Taghreed Al-Shahrani prefer old Arabic songs, while Horia leans toward R&B.
Backstage, each musician carried a different mood and style, but once on stage, differences dissolved into one shared voice. That diversity—seemingly contradictory—gives the orchestra and choir their unique identity: individual tastes converging into a collective national sound.
“Our Music Holds Dignity and Majesty”
The orchestra and choir did not choose the easy path of merely performing existing Western classics. Instead, they placed Saudi music at the heart of their repertoire—songs by icons like Mohammed Abdu and Talal Maddah, and folk traditions such as samri, majroor, and mizmar yanbawi—all reimagined in modern orchestral arrangements.
“Saudi music carries within it dignity, majesty, and solemnity,” said qanun player Yazid Al-Aidi. The project preserved this essence while placing it in a classical frame, allowing the world to hear Saudi music as Saudis do—not replacing identity, but expanding its reach to new audiences.
Building From Scratch—But Building Strong
Saudi soprano Reemaz Al-Oqbi embodies both pride and realism. Trained in opera since childhood, she knows the challenges of pioneering a new cultural era—especially for women in a fast-changing society.
“Studying music from a young age gave me a different perspective, to see it as a real profession,” she said. “We are building from scratch in Ƶ—but building a strong foundation, an environment where musicians can live with dignity and a clear future. It’s harder for women, but thank God, the opportunities are now here.”
“The Concert Is Like a Feast”
Between exhausting rehearsals and the thrill of audience applause, unforgettable moments stand out.
“The best moments are in the final days before travel, when the choir and orchestra come together and we finally see the full picture,” said Hassan Al-Mahouzi. For Nawaf Abdulhadi, joy comes when the choir conquers a difficult phrase in perfect unison. For Wahib Al-Salem, the performance day itself feels like a holiday: “The concert is like Eid.”
Yet all agree that the climax comes in the finale, when they bow and hear the applause. As chorister Rose put it: “The most beautiful moment is when the stage glows green”—the color of the Saudi flag, symbolizing both national pride and collective achievement.
A Nation Writing Its Story in Music
At the Versailles concert, Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan said: “Culture is a driving force for sustainable development, a key engine of economic and social growth, and a source of inspiration for future generations to build a better world filled with dialogue, stability, and prosperity.”
The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir’s presence at Versailles was more than a performance. It was a symbolic announcement that Ƶ is writing its cultural story with the voices of its sons and daughters. Each note testified to the transformation of a society opening to the future without abandoning its roots.
When over 100 musicians merge into one voice, the boundaries between individual and collective, past and present, local and global, blur—capturing the very essence of Ƶ’s vision: a story that begins from within yet speaks to the world with confidence and creativity.
