Music and dance in Oman

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Omani music cannot be described as classically Arabic, as it has also been strongly influenced by African and Indian culture.It has the most diverse roots, some of which go back to pre-Islamic times. In addition, music and movement are inextricably linked in Oman, more so than in other Arab countries.

For every occasion, be it a wedding, birth or religious holiday, there are different songs and dances in Omani folk music. The farmers in the fields have their songs just as much as the sailors. At camel or horse races, the men of a village often form a semi-circle, in the centre of which a drummer sets the rhythm for an old war dance, razha. The men sing along and swing their old shotguns or sabres.

The "Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra" was founded at the instigation of the Sultan. From the very beginning, it has consisted exclusively of Omani musicians. In 2007, the orchestra presented itself to the European public for the first time with great success at the Young Euro Classic festival in Berlin.
With the "Royal Opera House", which opened in autumn 2011, this orchestra, which is unique in the Arab world, now has its own concert hall.