Concierto by Various, De (2012/2012), Royal Opera House Muscat, Mascate, Omán

​The Grande Dame of Arabic Opera, acclaimed singer, composer and educator Hiba Al Kawas is known to audiences in her native Lebanon and throughout the world for her beautiful soprano voice and her cross-cultural compositions, which mix lyrical Eastern melody with the grandeur of the Western orchestral tradition. Al Kawas frequently performs her own compositions, delighting music lovers throughout the Middle East and Europe, which has made her one of the most celebrated women musicians in the Arab world. She is committed to establishing and advocating for Arab opera – a distinct musical technique developed to accommodate the nuances of Arabic pronunciation and its singing tradition. She was honoured with the Order of Sultan Qaboos for Culture, Science and Arts in 2007. She is currently a member of the board of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory, and a professor of opera singing and composition. Al Kawas’s rich repertoire is the backbone of her intrinsic concept of Arabic opera. Her mastery of melody and harmony, combined with her brilliant orchestration, demonstrates how Arabic language and melody can enrich the international repertoire of bel canto and beyond. She composes for symphony, chamber and string orchestras, as well as for piano and voice. Her works have been performed by the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra, the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Sinfonia, the Krakow Symphony Orchestra and the Bolshoi State Theatre Symphony Orchestra, among others. "One of the remarkable women in the world of music today, is the Lebanese composer and opera singer Hiba Al Kawas: Remarkable for talent, creativity, artistic and intellectual personality." - Dr. George Zughbi