Disney’s The Lion King Live in Concert 2026 in Abu Dhabi

Disney’s The Lion King Live in Concert brings the 1994 animated classic to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Sunday 20 December 2026, with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra playing Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning score live while Simba’s story plays out on the big screen. It is a 2pm Sunday matinee and the closing show of a weekend of film concerts at the arena, after Encanto, Frozen and Home Alone 2.

Back to the Pride Lands

Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, The Lion King follows Simba, a young lion cub and heir to the throne of the Pride Lands. When his father Mufasa is killed and his scheming uncle Scar seizes power, Simba runs away and grows up in exile with the carefree meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa, until he is called home to face Scar and take his place in the circle of life. The story draws on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which is part of why it has more weight than many family films.

The voice cast is one of Disney’s most memorable: Matthew Broderick as adult Simba, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Jeremy Irons as Scar, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as Timon and Pumbaa, and Whoopi Goldberg as the hyena Shenzi. On release it became one of the highest-grossing films ever made, and it remains the highest-grossing traditionally animated film. In 2016 the US Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry.

Hans Zimmer, Elton John and Lebo M

The music is the reason The Lion King works so well as a concert. Three creative voices shape it:

• Hans Zimmer wrote the score, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Score. It moves from sweeping orchestral themes to the thundering wildebeest stampede and the tender scenes between Mufasa and Simba.
• Elton John and Tim Rice wrote the songs, and Can You Feel the Love Tonight won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
• Lebo M, the South African composer and singer, created the African vocal and choir arrangements that give the film its distinctive sound, including the famous opening call of Circle of Life.

The songs

Expect the full soundtrack in film order: Circle of Life over the dawn gathering at Pride Rock, I Just Can’t Wait to Be King, Scar’s menacing Be Prepared, the singalong favourite Hakuna Matata and Can You Feel the Love Tonight. With a live orchestra under the songs, the big moments, particularly the opening sunrise and the stampede, have a scale that is hard to recreate at home.

The orchestra on stage

The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra was founded in 2006 as the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia by conductor Sergey Smbatyan, who still leads it as artistic director. It gives more than 50 concerts a year at home and abroad and has recorded for Sony and Deutsche Grammophon. By Sunday afternoon, the musicians will have played Encanto, Frozen and Home Alone 2 on the same stage, so The Lion King caps a busy weekend.

Sunday afternoon at Etihad Arena

Doors open at 1pm and the film begins at 2pm, with seats open from 30 minutes before. The afternoon is scheduled to finish at around 3:40pm. The film is presented in English with Arabic subtitles, and guests are asked to respect UAE traditions and culture.

• Children: there is no age restriction. Under-2s do not need a ticket on a parent’s or guardian’s lap, and under-16s must be with an adult aged 21 or over.
• Strollers and bags: strollers go in the stroller parks provided, and bags must be no bigger than 30 x 30 x 15 cm, with no cloakroom available.
• Latecomers: seated at a suitable break at management’s discretion, with a lockout of up to 10 minutes at the start of each act and no re-admission.
• Payments and items: the arena is contactless only, and professional cameras and flags of any kind are not allowed.

Accessible seating is available for guests with disabilities or other access needs, booked as accessible tickets. Tickets are valid only for the chosen date and film, and are scanned at the turnstiles from your phone.

Getting there

Etihad Arena sits on Yas Island. From central Abu Dhabi, drive along Sheikh Zayed Road and follow the signs. The closest bus stop is Al Matar Al Qadeem, about 800 metres away, and taxi drivers generally know the arena.

Who it suits

The Lion King in Concert suits almost everyone: children meeting Simba for the first time, parents who saw the film in cinemas in 1994, and fans of Hans Zimmer who want to hear one of his best-known scores live. Some scenes, including Mufasa’s death, are emotional for very young viewers, so it helps if little ones already know the story.

For more ideas, see our kids events and concerts guides, things to do in Abu Dhabi and things to do this weekend.