The 'Musical Exhibition' at Royal Opera House Muscat is an experience which is not to be missed by visitors.
Located at the Royal Opera House and open from 10 to 6 all days, the exhibition offers a captivating journey into the rich tapestry of music, weaving together technical science, cultural origins, and the diverse sounds of Oman. The immersive experiences, from the rhythmic storms echoing the country's natural landscapes to the interactive exploration of musical concepts, provide a profound appreciation for the art form.
With a blend of informative displays, interactive installations, and a diverse array of musical instruments, the exhibition transcends mere observation. The exhibition presents an inspiring insight into many aspects of music, from its technical aspects to its philosophy, origin, cultural contexts, and varieties.
The first rooms are free and include a library with books on music, art, history and architecture for both adults and children, as well as exquisite artifacts such as the stunning silver-plated instruments made in 1995 for late Sultan Qaboos, and the Bösendorfer Chopin piano with a pyramid mahogany finish, made in 2000 for the 150th anniversary of Chopin's death.
A nominal fee of RO 3.5 is being charged before venturing into another world that presents you with an immersive experience, the first in Oman.
Walking into the musical room next is an immersive experience, beginning with the sounds of Oman from its oceans, shores, mangroves, aflaj, deserts to its mountains, recorded by the team. First, a six-minute immersive experience and a chance to encounter the sounds of Oman.
This audio-visual journey is an immersive experience. Feeling the sounds resonate from all around you as the ocean lights up on all four walls and the rains begin, making you feel as if you were in a real thunderstorm; the screens almost cracking from its fierceness before the storm breaks into a sound of birds, and the footage changes to transport you across the wadis and aflaj of Oman with the road of the ocean before going up over the mountains and into the desert. Enter the dunes, the infinite and golden, the sound of sand flying in the air and all around to the theme of rhythm and a harmony made utilising all of these sounds of Oman, including the local chants and folk songs.
As explained, “Before humans communicated with language, the world around us was in harmony - a natural symphony. Experience a journey from the high peaks of the Al Hajar mountains to the depths of the sea in Oman, through the mangroves of the shore to the vast Sharqiya desert sands.”
The next room explains science, pulse, sound waves and vibration, timbre, with interactive installations exploring these concepts. Explaining, “sound is a natural phenomenon and without it there is no music.”
With information and observations that make you contemplate and understand in greater depths the essence of sound and harmony in sound (music), it explains, “The first rhythm we feel is the pulse of our mother’s heartbeat” and gives the visitor the experience of seeing and hearing our own heartbeat with an impressive machine that spans almost the length of the room, inviting you to grip both handles as advised to see as well as hear your heartbeat move across the installation.
From a science pod that lets you discover the great pioneers of music to discovering and listening to different types of scales from quarter tone, Western chromatic to the Phrygian Mode and Maqam Hijaz, everything is experiential, much of it is interactive. All of it is incredibly informative.
You’ll learn the science and making behind stringed, woodwind, piano, and other instrument types; you’ll even look at the mechanism of how a piano functions. Immerse yourself in the story of our beloved oud and explore the significance of community, emotions, and our lives' stories in relation to music alongside its potential to unite and promote collaboration.
The Musical Exhibition is definitely a place to visit for inspiration and information and a wonderful ambiance. You’ll leave with a new and more informed appreciation for music and its significance in our lives.
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