Legendary artists, including Eric Clapton and Gloria Gaynor, will take to the stage in Bahrain as part of a major festival celebrating culture.

The headlining acts for the Spring of Culture - which will also include opera legend Jose Carreras and Arab superstar Mohammed Abdo - were announced yesterday, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Details of the festival, now in its ninth year, were revealed by the Culture Ministry at a press conference held at the Bahrain National Museum in collaboration with the Economic Development Board.

It was attended by Culture Minister Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa and EDB acting chief executive Kamal Ahmed, who is also the Transportation Minister.

Thousands of concertgoers are expected to attend the festival between February 27 and April 10.

"Between the Bahrain National Theatre, Arad Fort and Cultural Hall, we will have thousands of guests," media consultant Dr Elie Flouty told the GDN.

"We're hoping many of the events will be sold out.

"I think this year's names, Gloria Gaynor, Eric Clapton, Mohammed Abdo and Jose Carreras - they're all really, really big names.

"For some of them, the tickets will probably sell out in a day.

"We're proud of our entire programme."

Renowned Lebanese musician Michel Fadel will kick off the festival next week at the Bahrain National Theatre.

He mixes traditional Arabic songs and music from 60 artists into a modern fusion presentation.

Tickets for the February 27 performance begin at BD15 ($39.5) and are available through Virgin Megastore.

Three-time Grammy winner and jazz legend Ramsey Lewis will take to the stage at Arad Fort on March 5, teaming up with soul and funk singer Philip Bailey for an evening of jazz and R&B classics.

Bailey has also won seven Grammys and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

They will be followed by world class singer and opera legend Jose Carreras, one third of the legendary Three Tenors.

The Spanish tenor, considered one of the most talented and important opera singers of the last few decades, will perform at the Bahrain National Theatre on March 6.

Eric Clapton, one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time, will perform on March 8 at Arad Fort.

Clapton is the only person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times and is the recipient of a staggering 17 Grammys.

He will be followed by renowned singer Mohammed Abdo, known as the Artist of the Arabs, on March 14.

Abdo is widely popular in the Arab world and has been singing since he was in his teens.

An acrobatic act will also take the stage at Arad Fort over three days from March 20 to 22. The China National Acrobatic Troupe was founded in 1950 and blends Chinese tradition in their colourful performances.

They have won 48 gold medals in various national and international acrobatics competitions.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a family fun event will be held at the Alumni Club on March 27 to 30. The performance will bring to life the stories of Eric Carle.

A Turkish dance troupe will also perform the timeless story of Troy on March 28 and 29 at Arad Fort.

Fire of Anatolia Dance Troupe will blend modern dance, ballet, traditional oriental rhythms and folk dances for the performance, which encompasses 64 dancers.

Disco queen Gloria Gaynor will perform the last concert of the festival at Arad Fort on April 4.

Gaynor will belt out her biggest hits, including I Will Survive and Never Can Say Goodbye.

Finally, Chinese ballet company Liaoning Ballet will perform at the Bahrain National Theatre on April 10. - TradeArabia News Service