02 November 2018
BACA’s Bahraini Music Concert at “Dar al Rifaa Al Oda”
As part of its strategy to develop and enhance the Bahraini music heritage in the Kingdom, Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities organized, on 3 November 2018, a marvelous evening of traditional music performed by Al-Dar Al-Oda Band, highlighting the rich tapestry of Bahraini folk music at East Riffa area.
Worth to mention that Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities had previously inaugurated Dar Al-Riffa Al-Oda in December 2017 during the celebrations of “ Our Year of Archaeology”, as part of its strategy to establish a sustainable cultural infrastructure. The venue hosts a series of musical concerts that highlight the rich tapestry of Bahraini folk music. The concert supports the Dar Al-Riffa Al-Oda’s objective to conserve and rehabilitate the existing original building in the old neighborhood of East Riffa and extend the neighboring plot to accommodate a larger performance hall and residency spaces, with the ultimate aim of enhancing Riffa’s intangible heritage and the folk singing specific to that area.
Designed by the Belgian architecture firm, Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen in collaboration with Emaar, the Dar Al Riffa Al Oda project comprises the conservation and rehabilitation of the existing Dar in the old neighborhood of East Riffa as well as an extension on a neighbouring plot, which will accommodate a larger performance hall, as well as sleeping quarters. The new Dar Al Riffa Al Oda will enhance the intangible heritage of Riffa, and the folk singing that is specific to this area of Bahrain. The extension is a three- storey building enveloped with a steel mesh, which also acts as a cooling device shading the building from direct sunlight. The mesh can be lifted on the ground floor, opening it up directly to the street and reinforcing its role as an open majlis to the city. Designed according to a similar design as the Muharraq Dar Jinaa majlis the two dars will help in creating a network of Dars across Bahrain and work towards revitalizing the folk singing traditions and making them more accessible to visitors and tourists.
