Dubai: "Our calendar for the 2026–2027 season is looking pretty full!” That’s Lara Ewing with a bright, proud smile as the UAE's iconic cultural landmark Dubai Opera prepares to celebrate its 10th year of existence. For the dynamic Head of Dubai Opera, this milestone is deeply personal. Even amid wider regional uncertainties, ticket sales remain robust and the venue continues to draw packed houses, suggesting that the appetite for live performance remains strong. Just last week, British comedian Jimmy Carr drew a packed house at Dubai Opera, a stark and hilarious contrast to the classical grandeur that usually defines an opera house, yet a perfect testament to how seamlessly the venue moves between genres. "Despite everything going on, people still want to go out, experience live culture, and connect with each other. Our ticket sales are holding up exceptionally well, proving that the hunger for live performance in Dubai is as strong as it’s ever been," she tells Gulf News. And yet, just hours before the lights come up and the crowds stream through its doors, Dubai Opera can feel like an entirely different world.That was the side we discovered when Gulf News stepped inside the venue for our signature video series, Inside Access with Manjusha Radhakrishnan.Given exclusive behind-the-scenes access while the venue was empty, we explored its quieter corners and uncovered the nooks and crannies the public rarely gets to see. Standing inside the empty 1,900-seat auditorium before the evening crowds arrive, there’s an undeniable magic in the air.To the public, Dubai Opera has spent the last decade serving as a majestic sanctuary in Downtown Dubai, a place to dress up with phones on silent mode and lose yourself in live culture for a few hours. But behind the scenes, it’s a warm, highly adaptable home for world-class creativity. “When you look at artists who keep coming back year after year, it really shows the relationship we've built,” Lara reflects. “Behind the scenes, the team works so hard because everyone here genuinely believes in the arts and live performance. It’s why performers feel at home here, and why audiences keep coming back.”Keeping the magic aliveMaintaining such a premier venue through a decade of nonstop performances requires immense dedication and constant care.“We have very high standards, obviously,” Lara smiles. “We keep the Botox and the fillers going throughout the season, but the team really do and it's just a constant maintenance. Behind the scenes, people are really, really working and putting in the effort because we love it. Everyone here really believes in the arts, in culture, in live performance, in whatever form that is.”That warmth extends to the global headliners who step onto the stage.“Honestly, what I've found with artists is the better the artist, the less demands that they have,” Lara reveals as she shows us the well-lit make-up room. “Typically, if it's an artist that we've got who's absolutely on top of their game, they'll be like, ‘Oh, come in! I've got some tea here. Would you like a cup of tea? I'll pour you one.’”The best seat in the houseWhile world-renowned artists may view performing at Dubai Opera as a career badge of honour, Yuwing’s favourite spot in the house isn't a VIP section.“I actually really, really love sitting in two different places,” she shares. “One is way back in the top of the Grand Circle, at the very back because the acoustics there are beautiful. It means that I can see the audience and I can see what's happening on stage, and you just feel the grandeur of the whole space.“And then the other place, right at the back on top floor, I actually just like watching the audience members a lot of the time. I love watching people's faces. You can see different ages, genders, backgrounds, cultures, everything, and watching them all kind of gasp at the same moment, or relax, or laugh at the same joke.As Dubai Opera enters its second decade, that connection with its audience remains at the heart of Lara's vision. “I see us still listening to the audiences and adapting with them. That's what we've been doing for the last decade, and we'll continue to adapt and do that in a super high quality and really successful and enjoyable way.”Manjusha Radhakrishnan has been slaying entertainment news and celebrity interviews in Dubai for 18 years—and she’s just getting started. As Entertainment Editor, she covers Bollywood movie reviews, Hollywood scoops, Pakistani dramas, and world cinema.