Hindus are urging the Dubai Opera to withdraw the “La Bayadère” ballet; scheduled for February 14-16, 2025; which they feel seriously trivialises Eastern religious and other traditions.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Dubai Opera, which “aims to build a more vibrant and inclusive society” and whose mission is to “serve, unify, and inspire the community of Dubai and beyond by celebrating the cultures of the world”, should not be in the business of callously promoting appropriation of traditions, elements and concepts of “others”; and ridiculing entire communities.

Zed, who is President of the Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that this deeply problematic ballet was just a blatant belittling of a rich civilisation and exhibited 19th-century orientalist attitudes. He also urged Dubai Opera to apologise for such an inappropriate offering.

Dubai Opera should have shown some maturity before blessing a ballet like “La Bayadère” (The Temple Dancer), displaying Western caricaturing of Eastern heritage and abetting ethnic stereotyping; Rajan Zed noted.

It was highly irresponsible for an establishment like Dubai Opera to allow such a ballet which had been blamed for patronising flawed mishmash of orientalist stereotypes, dehumanising cultural portrayal and misrepresentation, offensive and degrading elements, needless appropriation of cultural motifs, essentialism, shallow exoticism, caricaturing, etc. Dubai Opera could do better than this to serve its diverse stakeholders; Zed stated.

Rajan Zed suggested Dubai Opera Head Paolo Petrocelli and its other managers re-evaluate its systems and procedures and send its staff for cultural sensitivity training so that such inappropriate stuff does not slip through in the future.

Like many others, Hindus also consider ballet as one of the revered art forms that offers richness and depth. But we are well into the 21^st century now, and outdated “La Bayadère”, which was first presented in St. Petersburg (Russia) in 1877, is long overdue for permanent retirement from the world stage; Zed points out.

Dubai Opera has announced five shows in its Main Auditorium of “La Bayadère”, which it has termed “a feast for the senses and the soul”. Dancers of the Royal Ballet, Vadim Muntagirov and Fumi Kaneko, will reportedly be performing in this about two hours and 45 minutes classical ballet in two acts. Tickets go up to AED 790 and the program is announced to include “Wrath of the Gods”. It is presented by “Orchestra and Ballet of the Janacek Opera of the National Theatre Brno”.

The iconic dhow-shaped building of Dubai Opera, which claims itself “radiant centre of culture and arts in Dubai” and “house of cultures for world-class performances”, is spread over 650,000 square feet. Opened in 2016, its seating capacity is 2,000.