Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

A slice of Oktoberfest in Salalah

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The audience went crazy after listening to performers from Munich, who had come to Salalah to take part in Salalah edition of ‘Oktoberfest’, an event held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.


Most in the audience were seen dancing to the tunes of traditional ‘Schuhplattler’, which was loaded with surprise and excitement for those who love to be the part of the actual Oktoberfest but could not, due to their professional requirements.


“For a moment I was part of the real festival due to its setting, cuisine and the singers, who brought the real feel of the Oktoberfest, which is one of my most favourite events. I never miss it while in Germany,” said a viewer and thanked the Al Baleed Resort management for bringing the festival to Salalah.


Soft music, elegant moves, and cheer from the crowd worked like stressbuster for some, while many others just got attracted towards the performers soon after the music started playing just before the performance. Among the performers were Stefan Weindl, Georg Maier, Greda Weigand, Josef Asanger, and Stefan Huber.


Stefan Weindl was born and raised near Munich. He works as a health insurer specialist. Since his early childhood he was interested in music, so he began to play the trumpet at the age of nine. He started his own four-man-band when he was 16 to play dancing music especially for wedding celebrations and did that for 20 years. His special love is the traditional Bavarian and Bohemian brass music and leads a Bavarian brass band with 25 members.


Commenting on the band which came to perform in Salalah, Weindl said: “We are no fixed band in our home. It was formed only for this event from people who I knew and had time to come. Some of us have been performing in Poland, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Japan, India and Oman. I have performed earlier in Oman at Grand Hyatt Muscat and that was the most beautiful one until I came to Salalah and saw its amazing beauty. Some of us have performed at the Oktoberfest in Munich also.”


It was difficult for Weindl to answer what songs did audiences tended to go mad for during the fest, but he admitted that the Salalah audience liked traditional music. “Our traditional dance ‘Schuhplattler’ really surprised and excited the audience.”


The troupe members were surprised to see so many European tourists in Salalah and appreciated the destination as “natural and traditional”, something which is missing in many parts of the world.


“It was amazing to perform at a venue which is modern in looks but traditional in essence… We were invited by Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara to perform for their Oktoberfest event as a way of bringing unique and exciting experiences and events to Salalah,” said performer Weigand.


“I really felt honored to be part of the team that came to Salalah. Bringing our traditional music and way of life to this place for the first time is a very exciting experience for me. By being here I felt a big contrast between ours and the Arabic culture, which is truly exciting. And It is always amazing how music brings the people together all over the world,” she said.


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