Fadia el

Fadia El-Hage (alto)

born in Beirut, Lebanon, started her musical career at the age of fourteen
as a singer with the Rahbani brothers and with Fairouz.

She also worked as an actor in Lebanese television and movies.
1984 she graduated from the University of Lebanon with a degree
in psychology. She and her husband then emigrated to Germany, where
she studied voice (specialization: oratorio) at the
Richard-Strauss-Konservatorium in Munich, obtaining her diploma in 1990.

She is one of the very few singers mastering and combining the traditions
of Western and Mid-Eastern classical music. Her repertoire extends
from classical Arab music, European music from the Middle Ages
to Contemporary music.

Since 1990 she has performed as a soloist in Ensemble Sarband, Vox and L'Orient Imaginaire, specializing in Medieval and Mediterranean song.

1994 she returned to Lebanon, where, since her breakthrough concert
at the 1998 Festival of Baalbeck, she is considered one of the Arab world's major singers.

„First and foremost the excellent vocalist Fadia el-Hage from Beirut impressed
with her large vocal range. Her arias were arguably the most captivating pieces …“ Hans Rühl, Rheinische Post (Germany), 23.12.2008

"Lebanese mezzo-soprano Fadia el-Hage’s wonderfully warm voice
sings splendidly ornamented improvisations …“
Frank Heindl, Augsburger Allgemeine (Germany), 14.11.2008

„When Fadia el-Hage raised her voice, it was like Easter and Christmas at once.“
C. Hartner, Kronenzeitung (Austria), 22.03.2008

„Fadia el-Hage conveyed oriental gentleness, crowned by a refined mezzosoprano
and energetic, intimate and tender vocal art.“
Franz Szabo, Kritisches Journal der Alten Musik, March 2008

"Sensational live music: Fadia el-Hage’s voice emerging from the innermost, … "
Silvia Nagl, OÖNachrichten, 10.03.2008

"The songs were most haunting when vocalist Fadia el-Hage reverted to Arabic.
At those times, perhaps, Bach also wept." The Business Times (Singapore), 14.06.2007

„Singer Fadia el-Hage made an impressive feature of the Arab influences with her voluminous contralto voice of almost male timbre, full of charisma and passion …“ rup, Speyerer Morgenpost (Germany), 04.10.2005

" … the great moment for the expressively deep voice of Fadia el-Hage …
impressive forcefulness of the Passion chant …"
Kurt Witterstätter, Die Rheinpfalz (Germany), 04.10.2005

„Fadia el-Hage, the excellent singer capable of expressing an entire cosmos
of emotions and stories made the stylistic peculiarities shine
with focused internalisation and expression.“
Gerhard Böhm, Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten (Germany), 02.07.2002

"Fadia el-Hage had not only a beautiful and expressive voice, but was masterful in both the variety and articulation of the many ornamentsthat decorate the songs.“
Michael Mann, Montréal, 22.02.2000

"Nur wenigen jedoch gelingt es, die Brüche und Übergänge zwischen der Musik des Orients und Europas in einer Person so zu vereinen wie der Libanesin Fadia el-Hage."
Christoph Herrmann, Berliner Morgenpost, 19.04.1998