The museum on Saadiyat Island opens November 11 – and a series of music, arts and dance performances will mark the special occasion

The opening week of Louvre Abu Dhabi just got a little bit bigger – four concerts will take place between November 11 and 14 to celebrate the launch of the museum.

On the bill are French singer and rock guitarist Matthieu Chedid, who goes by the stage name –M–. Also performing on Saadiyat Island are Malian star Fatoumata Diawara, Lebanese jazz and world music icon Ibrahim Maalouf and singer and dancer Totó La Momposina, who is known for her Colombian and Caribbean-inspired routines.

So who are the headliners? Rock guitarist -M- is from Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France, and is the son of French singer Louis Chedid. His grandmother was Egyptian-born French writer and poet of Lebanese descent Andrée Chedid. Matthieu Chedid calls himself -M- because he often feels shy when on stage, and to also distance himself from his family members’ fame. it’s obviously worked – he’s won nine gongs at France’s annual Victoires de la Musique awards and has released six albums since 1997. He’s the headline act on November 11.

The next headliner on November 12 is Fatoumata Diawara. She’s collaborated with some huge names in the past, including jazz legend Herbie Hancock and Blur frontman Damon Albarn. She performed at Glastonbury in the UK back in 2013 and there’s another French connection here – she’s originally from Mali but now lives in France, home of course to the original Louvre. She’s a singer, dancer, musician and also an actress who has appeared in many films including 2014’s Timbuktu (it was Oscar-nominated and was a winner at Cannes).

The third act, performing on November 13 is Beirut-born instrumentalist Ibrahim Maalouf. Massively popular in France, he’s a trumpet player who now resides in Paris (home to France’s Louvre – see what they did there?). He’s another with many trophies to his name – In July 2010 he was crowned the Instrumental Revelation of the Year at the French Jazz Music Awards. He’s collaborated with the likes of former-Police frontman Sting in the past.

Last but not least on November 14 is Totó La Momposina – she’s an Afro-Colombian singer who has won three Latin Grammy Awards and was nominated for a US Grammy in 2015 for her album El Asunto. Her work combines influences from three cultures – African, Native Indian and Spanish.

There’s plenty more going on during those four days, including a flyover from an Etihad A380, the world’s largest passenger airline, and a performance from Indian bamboo flute player Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.

Franco-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê will also perform – he’ll be combining his rock, jazz, African and Asian-influenced music with the Baraji Ensemble from Korea.

There’ll also be a Dogon Masks Dance (a routine performed by the Dogon people of central Mali) by the country’s Awa Troupe of Sangha.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

That’s not all the performers, though – there’s plenty more so keep an eye on the Louvre’s official website for timings and the full calendar of events. There’ll also be guided tours and workshops taking place the first four days the museum is open.

Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (600) 565566. Taxi: Louvre on Saadiyat. louvreabudhabi.ae