The National

Alessandro Safina to perform in Dubai

Opera lovers are set to be seduced with a forthcoming Dubai performance by Alessandro Safina. The Italian performer will headline at the Madinat Arena in Jumeirah on October 10. Known for his selection of romantic Italian arias, Safina broke into the European pop charts in November 2000 with the single Luna topping the Dutch charts for 14 weeks. Other career highlights includes performing for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as part of the 73rd Royal Variety Performance in 2001 and duetting with the likes of Elton John, José Carreras and Sarah Brightman. Tickets begin from Dh250 at www.timeouttickets.com. – The National staff

Juliana Down, The Maplejacks and The Boxtones at Dubai Music Week

Gulf Bike Week's concerts will be an all-local affair. Juliana Down, The Maplejacks and The Boxtones are some of the bands performing at the three-day festival at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre from October 24 to 26. "It's only at events like these where we really get to enjoy other local bands as we are crazy busy this time of the year," said The Maplejacks' singer and guitarist Drew Jones. "It will be great to see a lot of new faces across the three days." Festival day passes cost Dh60 for adults and Dh20 for children under 12. Visit www.gulfbikeweek.com. – The National staff

Mumbai’s first women’s film festival starts next month

The first edition of the Mumbai Women's International Film Festival begins on October 8 with the focus on encouraging women filmmakers in the industry. Bollywood celebrities including Nandita Das, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Farah Khan and Honey Irani will be attending and showcasing their films during the seven-day event. The festival will screen more than 150 films from 70 countries at six different venues in Mumbai. – IANS

Justin Bieber wants to play a superhero

On Friday, the Canadian singer Justin Bieber posted a photo of himself on Instagram with what is assumed to be a fake script of David S Goyer's and Zack Snyder's Batman vs. Superman, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The cover page features a "Bieber" watermark, as if the script were meant specifically for him. Bieber's photo was liked by more than 346,000 people just four hours after being posted, and sparked a number of comments from distressed Batman fans, with one young woman declaring: "Batman would be ruined forever" and others wondering if the teenage star would play Robin. – The National staff

Ben Affleck to direct pilot episode of The Middle Man

Ben Affleck has been roped in to direct the first episode of the American television crime series The Middle Man. The 41-year-old will also serve as the executive producer. The Middle Man follows an FBI agent who is responsible for taking down the mafia and his informant, an Irish- American gangster. Affleck was recently signed on to play Batman in the film Batman vs. Superman. The film also stars Henry Cavill, who reprises his role as Superman. – IANS