soumaya hallak

Born in Geneva, I started my vocal career at a very young age, notably at the Grand Théâtre de Genève with high-rated conductors like Armin Jordan, Fabio Luisi, and Mario Venzago as well as with renowned directors like Robert Carsen and Fransico Negrin.

I studied musicology at Ca’Foscari University in Venice, and graduated from the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth with "grande distinction" in 2009, under the tutelage of José Van Dam. I gave a stage appearance by his side in the role of Nella in Gianni Schicchi at the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles with the Orchestre National de Belgique under the baton of Paul Goodwin. I did the same as Dorothée in Jules Massenet’s Cendrillon at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels as well as at the Grand Théâtre du Luxembourg.

In 2008, I gave a recital at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Charleroi during the Vexin festival (les Nuits d’Eté de Berlioz) and in Skagen, Denmark. I sang excerpts of Verdi’s Falstaff as Alice Ford in a gala concert in BOZAR (Brussels) with José Van Dam in the title-role under the musical leadership of Walter Weller.

In 2009, I participated in Little England under the baton of Leo Hussein at the Monnaie with scenes from Albert Herring (Lady Billows) and from the Rape of Lucretia (Bianca). In the same year, I performed alongside José Van Dam and Béatrice Uria-Monzon on a tour with the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra conducted by C. Waren-Green.

As a member of the "Opéra Royal de Copenhague" Studio, I performed in the role of the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel, Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw, and the Marschallin in excerpts from Rosenkavalier under the baton of Anne Marghrete Dahl.

In 2010, I again sang with Béatrice Uria-Monzon in a recital in France, then at the Monnaie with Julian Reynolds, finally at Victoria Hall in Geneva in Brahms German Requiem.

In 2011, I won the Pour-Cent Culturel Migros prize.

In 2012, I made my debut as Agata in Antonio Cagnoni’s Don Bucefalo in Zürich. The same year, I took private master classes with Françoise Pollet and Hélène Lucas in Lyon.

In 2013 I sang Mozart’s Coronation Mass with Frédéric Lodéon conducting in Douai.

Thanks to my broad repertoire which encompasses masterpieces by Gluck, Cherubini, Berlioz, Britten, Verdi, Schumann, Schubert, Wagner, Rossini, Brahms, Rutter and Chappuis (in world creation), I appeared on stage in France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Switzerland.

I carry on perfecting my singing with Felicity Palmer and Sandra Porter in London.

Last season I took part in the « International Lied Master classes » for piano & voice duets with Josef Breinl and Julius Drake.

I regularly perform in duo with cellist Suzanne Vermeyen (DUO VO’CELLO), and sing transcriptions of opera arias by Abdel Rahman El Bacha as well as voice & cello works.

During the 2014-2015 season, I appeared on stage at the Théâtre des Martyrs in Brussels in an adaptation of Marguerite Yourcenar’s L’Œuvre au Noir by Christine Delmotte.

I also took part in a tour across Lithuania performing Passions Humaines (PASS(I)ONS:6) with Anne-Fleur Inizan (Duo LUX VOCIS) and the actor, Pietro Pizzuti.

I also embraced classical Arabic singing in the adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s autobiography by Geneviève Damas, read by Cristian Crahay and performed in April 2016 in Brussels.

In July 2016, I took on the role of Bianca in Zemlinsky’s Tragédie Florentine with Arthur Nauzyciel (staging) and Jean-Paul Pruna (choir master) in Royaumont, France, and again in March 2018 at the Théâtre National de Bretagne in Rennes, France.

I also gave recitals with David Lévi at the keyboard in France, and with Ouri Bronchti at the Musicales de Beloeil in Belgium.

I actively collaborated with Jean-Philippe Collard-Neven in his Quintette Révolutionnaire project.

As an eclectic singer I recently performed in the « LIVE MAGAZINE » at the Casino de Paris.

I follow Master classes in operatic singing at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne in Jeanne Michèle Charbonnet’s class.

On top of my lyrical career, I launched and support the 1, 2, 3 HOPE, LOVE, LIFE for PEACE project dedicated to the young victims of war in Syria.