Dalia Farouk broke all the rules when she rose to the top of Egypt’s opera scene at a young age, quickly becoming one of the nation’s most popular and successful sopranos.
The young, opera singer recently starred as Gilda in the successful rendition of Verdi’s “Rigoletto at the Cairo Opera House.
“What drew me to the opera was my parents passion for it, she said.
“Opera is not an easily comprehensible form of art, especially to an Egyptian child. She learnt to value music and by the age of five, Farouk would sit at the piano and play whatever came to her mind.
“I was lucky to learn new singing techniques from distinguished professors like Violette Makar in Cairo, Caroline Dumas in France, Martina Arroyo and Patricia Wise of Indiana University. Farouk said. “Also, vocal coach William Vendice at the Los Angeles Opera taught me the different styles of opera singing, phrasing and musicality.
“I was also exposed to international, modern schools of singing. I had stage experience and attended a variety of performances that gave me the opportunity to reach my potential and play different roles, she added.
At 14 she joined the Cairo Opera Conservatoire, studying under Professor Violette Makar. She graduated with honors in 1997 and became a resident member of the Cairo Opera Company the same year.
She was then granted a scholarship from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), where she earned her Masters degree in vocal performance under the direction of Professor Timothy Mussard.
In New York, she participated in the Shaker Mountain International Performing Arts Festival, where she performed the roles of Sour Genevieve in “Sour Angelica, Belinda in “Dido and Aeneas, and Rosina in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Farouk’s confidence grew with her every success, which eventually led her to take on significant roles such as Oscar in “Un Ballo in Maschera, and parts in productions of “L’Elisir d’amore, “La Boheme, “L’Occasione fa il Ladro and musicals “The Phantom of the Opera and “Les Miserables.
In 1996, she made it to the semi-finals in Italy’s Giuseppe di Stefano International Vocal Competition. Two years later, she won first place in a singing competition organized by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Culture.
“My dream role would be Violetta in Verdi’s ‘La Traviata.’ The role would be a natural transition for me, since my voice has changed from a light lyric coloratura to a lyric coloratura, she added.
Like any opera singer, Farouk adheres to strict training and rehearsing schedule before every performance.
“The most important challenge for me is to perfect my vocal technique and get the best quality of sound, which is achieved by perfecting breathing techniques and knowing where to position my voice to get the best resonating sound. Farouk said.
“As soon as you hear the audience’s applause, all these difficulties disappear, she added, “I hope Egyptian audiences can get more acquainted with opera.
Judging by the large turnout at the more recent performances staged at the Opera House, the Egyptian audience is indeed growing more interested in opera. Still, Farouk has a few ideas to attract even more.
“The first step is to perform light operas that are easy to understand because they contain elements of humor, drama and dialogue such as Mozart’s ‘Magic Flute.’
For Farouk, opera singing is more than a professional career and a passion; it is also a form of therapy. “Singing is the outlet through which I release all the negative energy that builds up inside, she said.
“Opera taught me persistence, determination and hard work; it is a deep passion that has become my life.
