The concert was part of the world-famous Candlelight Concert Series, presented by Fever, which has returned to Qatar with a lineup of shows featuring local talent and global music tributes. Pictures by Marivie Alabanza / The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: At the Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA concert on Saturday, October 18, the Doha String Quartet from the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra dedicated Queen’s "We Are the Champions" to Qatar’s national football team, Al Annabi. The gesture received a big round of applause from the audience at the Four Seasons Hotel.
“Now we reached Queen's grand finale, two songs that have become anthems for generations,” said Dmitri Torchinsky, speaking on behalf of the quartet. “The first one, well, in fact, I will mention first the second one, We Are the Champions, which, without any hesitation, we would like to dedicate to the national football team of Qatar.”
A collective cheer rose from the candlelit crowd before the quartet played the opening bars of the iconic anthem.
The performance came just days after Qatar’s historic 2–1 victory over the UAE, securing their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup through the Asian qualifiers.
The concert was part of the world-famous Candlelight Concert Series, presented by Fever, which has returned to Qatar with a lineup of shows featuring local talent and global music tributes. Saturday’s performance featured string renditions of hits by ABBA and Queen in a candlelit setting, performed by the Doha String Quartet comprising Lorena Manescu (violin), Dmitri Torchinsky (violin), Andrea Mereuta (viola), and Christoph 'Kiko' Schmitz (cello).
The concert opened on a vibrant note with ABBA’s Dancing Queen, followed by beloved classics including Money, Money, Money, Bohemian Rhapsody, Mamma Mia, Don’t Stop Me Now, and We Will Rock You.
Upcoming shows this November and December include tributes to Coldplay, Vivaldi, Ed Sheeran, Ludovico Einaudi, Hans Zimmer, and another Queen vs. ABBA face-off, featuring some of Qatar’s most talented musicians like pianist Jelizaveta Vasiljeva and the Qatar String Quartet.
