Kuwait’s new opera house catches fire

Kuwait’s new opera house catches fire

February 07, 2017
A thick plume of black smoke rises from the waterfront Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Center.
A thick plume of black smoke rises from the waterfront Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Center.

KUWAIT — Flames ripped through Kuwait’s new opera house on Monday, just three months after the futuristic $770-million venue opened to the public.

A thick plume of black smoke rose from the waterfront Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Center, television footage showed.

Firefighters on a crane sprayed water onto the building, a structure covered with geometric Islamic patterns.

Broadway musical “Cats” was due to open there on Thursday, according to the center’s website.

The landmark building was opened by the emir, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah in October 2016 amid fanfare and fireworks. The center includes a 2,000 seat opera house.

The cultural centre includes a performing arts center, music centre, concert halls, cinemas, conference centre, historical documents centre as well as libraries, parks, and fountains.

According to its website, the center is “a multidisciplinary public space owned by the Amiri Diwan striving to entertain, educate and inspire the people of Kuwait”.

The center is named after the thirteenth emir of the Al Sabah ruling family and third ruler of Kuwait since independence.


February 07, 2017
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