Singers perform on stage on August 30, 2016 during a dress rehearsal of Gioacchino Rossini's opera "The barber of Seville at Dubai's new opera house, on the eve of its official opening in the Gulf emirate. A boat-shaped hulk of steel and glass at the foot of the world's tallest tower, Dubai's new opera house is set to boost the cultural life of the Gulf's business hub. The ultra-modern 2,000-seat venue was developed by Dubai-based Emaar Properties, which also built the Burj Khalifa, and can transform into three modes, operating as a theatre, concert hall and a flat-floored hall suitable for banquets and weddings. / AFP PHOTO / KARIM SAHIBKARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images