Dubai Opera guide: tickets, dress code, parking and age rules

Dubai Opera, on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard in Downtown Dubai, sells tickets for its shows on its own website and phone browser, and in person at its box office in Opera Plaza, open every day from 11am to 8pm. Children under two cannot attend except at certain family shows, everyone from two up needs a ticket, and visitors under 18 must come with a parent or guardian. The house asks for smart dress: no shorts, flip-flops, beachwear or sportswear.

What Dubai Opera is

Dubai Opera opened on 31 August 2016. Its dhow-shaped building was designed by Atkins, with Janus Rostock as lead architect, and developed by Emaar Properties. The auditorium seats up to 2,000 and can change between three layouts: a theatre, a concert hall and a flat floor for banquets and exhibitions. Opera, ballet, orchestral concerts, musicals, comedy and Arabic music all play here, and smaller shows run in the Studio on the Grand Circle level.

Buying tickets

Tickets are sold on dubaiopera.com, on a phone, and at the box office. Some shows are also sold on Platinumlist. The venue warns against buying anywhere else: tickets from an unauthorised seller may be invalid and the holder can be refused entry. You need an account to buy online. You can buy up to 10 tickets in one go; for more, ask the box office for a group booking at boxoffice@dubaiopera.com. Tickets can be printed at home, kept on your phone, collected at the box office (bring the email receipt, the card you paid with and photo ID) or, for some shows, sent by courier within the UAE until seven days before the show.

Refunds and resale

There are no refunds or exchanges because your plans changed. You are offered a refund or exchange only when a show is cancelled or rescheduled. Reselling tickets without the venue's written consent is not allowed, and resold tickets are cancelled with no refund.

Age limits

Children under two are not admitted, except at certain family shows. Every child from two needs a ticket, and some shows have a child price. A show can set its own minimum age, and ID may be checked. Under-18s must be with a parent or guardian.

Dress code

The venue asks guests to dress respectfully. Excessively casual clothes, including shorts, flip-flops, beachwear and sportswear, are not permitted. National and traditional dress is welcome.

On the night

The building opens two hours before a show, and the auditorium doors usually open 30 minutes before. The terms advise arriving at least 30 minutes before curtain up. Latecomers wait for a suitable break or the interval, at the management's discretion. Food and drinks bought outside are not allowed in the building, strollers are not allowed in the main auditorium, and any bag bigger than a rucksack goes to the free cloakroom, as do professional cameras. Please keep phones away during the show.

Parking and getting there

The car park is reached from Entrance C on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, just after the Dubai Opera hashtag sign, with the venue's spaces on level B2. Dubai Opera parking costs AED 20 an hour, and AED 60 an hour overnight from 1am to 6am, taken from your Salik account, with a QR code option. Once you enter the opera's car park, the general Downtown parking charge is cancelled and only the opera rate applies. Taxis and private cars drop off at Opera Plaza next to the hashtag sign. Valet parking is paid, its price varies by show, and it stops 30 minutes before the start. Plan for heavy traffic in Downtown on show nights.

Access

The building has lifts to every level, wheelchair spaces with seats for companions, and accessible toilets on the Stalls level. There are 10 parking spaces for people with disabilities in Basement 2. Wheelchair seats are booked through the box office.

Building tours

The Dubai Opera Grand Tour takes you backstage, to the dressing rooms and rehearsal rooms. It lasts 120 minutes, starts at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm, and costs from AED 70; the current dates run to 30 November 2026. Tour tickets are not refundable.

Common questions

How do I contact the box office? Call +971 4 440 8888 or email boxoffice@dubaiopera.com.

Can I leave and come back? Yes, at a suitable break, with your ticket; you may be seated elsewhere to avoid disturbing others.

Lost something? Email boxoffice@dubaiopera.com.