‘Saudi Arabia: Yesterday and Today’ Exhibition to be Relaunched

‘Saudi Arabia: Yesterday and Today’ Exhibition to be Relaunched
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‘Saudi Arabia: Yesterday and Today’ Exhibition to be Relaunched

‘Saudi Arabia: Yesterday and Today’ Exhibition to be Relaunched

The Saudi Ministry of Culture is preparing to launch an updated edition of the famous "Saudi Arabia: Yesterday and Today" exhibition, which debuted in the 1980s and toured different countries around the world.

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the show is set to kick off by the end of 2019 and will visit the six continents.

During the tour, the re-launched exhibition, which is expected to feature interactive shows and an excessive use of technology such as virtual reality, will bring some pictures and possessions from the first edition, to compare the oldest edition with the new one, along with highlighting the aspects of advancement in Saudi Arabia from the exhibition's first edition till the new upcoming launch.

The "Saudi Arabia: Yesterday and Today" exhibition debuted in 1985 under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz when he was the Prince of Riyadh. The first launch took place in Germany, then, the event toured many cities before it was suspended in 1992.

The previous editions of the exhibition included artistic and cultural shows along with many performances that introduced Saudi Arabia, its culture and diversity. It also featured different pavilions that highlighted the historical path of the Kingdom, along with its most prominent features from its south, east, and west.



Milan’s Historic La Scala Cracks Down on Tourist Dress Code

Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
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Milan’s Historic La Scala Cracks Down on Tourist Dress Code

Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)

A historic opera house in Milan has cracked down on patrons and tourists entering the prestigious venue wearing summer attire such as shorts, tank tops and flip flops, warning they will be turned away if not dressed appropriately.

The opera was seen as a symbol of wealth and exclusivity in 19th-century high society, and the bourgeois elite of this time period would have been expected to turn up in tailcoats, cravats and long evening dresses, The Independent newspaper wrote on Monday.

While this opulent attire is not expected of patrons nowadays, it said Milan’s Teatro alla Scala opera house, commonly known as La Scala, has recently reinforced its smart dress code in the wake of opera-goers turning up in casual summer fashion.

“The public is kindly requested to dress in keeping with the decorum of the theater, out of respect for the theater and for other viewers,” La Scala’s policy said.

“People wearing shorts or sleeveless T-shirts will not be allowed inside the auditorium; in this case, tickets will not be reimbursed.”

The venue also has signs around the foyer and on tickets stating the same message, warning patrons that they will not get a refund if they turn up wearing clothes not in keeping with the “decorum.”

The rules over informal clothing were first introduced in 2015 when the summer season coincided with the World Expo in Milan, as a way to deter the influx of tourists turning up in summer wear.

“There are no special dress code requirements at La Scala,” a spokesperson at the theater told The Independent. “We are delighted that some of our audience members consider an evening at La Scala to be a special occasion and dress accordingly, but our priority is to welcome everyone and make sure they feel comfortable.

“This is precisely why, in 2015, we introduced restrictions on clothing that could cause discomfort to other audience members who have to share the often limited space of an 18th-century theater.

“With the return of summer (an especially hot one), we reminded the audience of these rules, which have remained unchanged for ten years.

“It would not be right to tell spectators how to dress, but it is necessary that they do dress, as not to cause discomfort to other people,” the spokesperson added.

La Scala’s spokesman added that there had been a “change in behavior led by visitors who do not follow opera but see La Scala as a landmark.”