Photo: Instagram.com/zeinabarhoum
As Montecatini Terme, Italy prepares to host the Montecatini Opera Festival next week, Zeina Barhoum looks forward to becoming the first Jordanian and Arab soprano to take part in the event. On August 28, in a concert titled Sogno di Una Notte di Mezza State, the singer will perform as a special guest alongside tenor Riccardo Gatto and the Montecatini Opera Festival orchestra directed by conductor Stefano Seghedoni.
With the festival celebrating its 25th anniversary, Barhoum will be making her return to Italy, where she not only studied Bel Canto, but also performed at various past occasions, such as at Rimini Opera House, Campidoglio in Rome, and Rovereto Opera Festival. While she indeed considers Italy to be her second home, it is always Jordan that she holds closest to her heart, which explains why the Grand Prix award-winning opera singer will be traveling on board Royal Jordanian Airlines as the official national carrier.
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Barhoum is a pioneer when it comes to opera in the Arab world. Not only has she performed at some of the most prestigious stages and venues across the world (including Kensington Palace, Hofburg Palace, Cadogan Hall, UNESCO Paris, Rimini Opera, and Campidoglio in Italy, Austria, the UK, France, Ukraine, and China), she has also been promoting opera at home. In 2017, under the patronage of Princess Muna Al Hussein, she founded Amman Opera Festival, the first opera-focused festival in the Arab world.
This year, as the founder and director of the Amman Opera Festival, Barhoum is also prepares for its 5th edition. Here, she will be presenting the Opera Aida with stars who are yet to be announced on World Opera Day (October 25), as well as on October 27 and 28. Supported by IGI and Royal Jordan Airlines, the festival will feature a diverse set of talent hailing from Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, and Bulgaria.
“Zeina Barhoum has helped to put Jordan on the map with all her hard work that she does both here and around the world. It has always been delightful to work with her. I have had the pleasure of listening to Zeina at various concerts and also enjoyed her voice on CDs very much. I consider her a great Ambassador of Music for Jordan,” Princess Muna Al Hussein added. Here’s wishing the artist the very best of luck for her time at the Montecatini Opera Festival.
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