Saudi Arabia first opera house will open in Jeddah, Ahmed Al-Khatib, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), has been quoted as saying.
He was speaking during the launch of the 2018 entertainment calendar at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, an Arab News report said. He said the Saudi General Culture Authority will handle the establishment of the new opera house.
According to a BBC report, Saudi Arabia is set to invest $64bn in developing its entertainment industry over the next decade. Al-Khatib said 5,000 events were planned this year alone, including those by Maroon 5 and Cirque du Soleil.
Construction of the country’s first opera house has also begun in Riyadh.
The investment is part of a social and economic reform programme, known as Vision 2030, unveiled two years ago Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.