A five-day music & culture festival that was scheduled to kick off at Katara Cultural Village next week, headlined by renowned pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, will no longer go ahead.

The statement issued by Katara last night said the second edition of the Music & Dialogue festival was cancelled “against the backdrop of the current political developments across the Arab region,” but didn’t elaborate any further.

It said those who’ve already purchased tickets would be refunded, and that Virgin Megastores will be reimbursing customers who bought passes through them.

In addition to Barenboim, the festival was to feature performances by the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, co-founded by late Palestinian scholar Edward Said. “The Last Interview,” a film abou Said, was also to be screened, followed by a discussion with his widow Mariam Said.

Katara first hosted the festival, Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in May of last year.