Meet Sawsan al-Bahiti, Saudi Arabia's first opera singer

The artist opens up to Al Majalla about her life as a pioneer in the art form and how she believes opera can attain wider popular appeal in the Arab world

Martin Sati

One of the main characters in the dramatic modernisation of the Saudi cultural scene, Sawsan al-Bahiti, opens up about her landmark rendition of the national anthem and moves to open up the genre in the Arab world.

Meet Sawsan al-Bahiti, Saudi Arabia's first opera singer

Shadi Alaa Aldin

last update on 17 Jun 2023

When Sawsan al-Bahiti took to the stage of the King Fahad Cultural Centre in June 2019, she became the first female Saudi opera singer to perform — surprising and delighting the audience.

She opened a show entitled 'An Operatic Journey' by performing the Saudi royal anthem in an operatic style. The innovative rendering of the piece was received with enthusiasm and could help open up the genre to music lovers in the Kingdom.

Her landmark appearance reflects the Kingdom’s effort to empower Saudi women to have a prominent and leading presence in the cultural arena.

Opera has struggled to reach wide popularity in not only Saudi Arabia, but also in other Arab countries, where it is perceived with some suspicion, or even negatively.

This can be seen from the profiles held by two opera singers – Mohammed El-Bakkar from Lebanon and Hasan Kami from Egypt. Hardly anyone mentions El-Bakkar, whereas Kami apparently had no alternative but to perform satirical operatic excerpts in films in a manner that tends to belittle the art form.

Recently, new local performances have been starting to change perceptions in the Arab World, where opera has started to make better connections with Arab listeners.

Recently, new local performances have been starting to change perceptions in the Arab world, where opera has started to make better connections with Arab listeners.

It is, without doubt, an extremely demanding musical genre. Opera began in Renaissance Italy in the 16th century before spreading to other European countries. It was introduced to the Arab world in the Egyptian Opera House of Cairo, which was established by Isma’il Pasha, the country’s ruler. The first performance was Aida, by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Sawsan al-Bahiti is not opera’s only Arab female pioneer. Others currently making their mark in the genre include Zeina Barhoum from Jordan, Amani al-Hajji from Kuwait, Amira Selim from Egypt, and Hiba Al Kawas from Lebanon.

Bringing opera to closer to musical tastes of audiences

What distinguishes the experience of al-Bahiti, though, is her constant keenness to bring opera closer to the musical taste of an audience in whom language plays a key role. She sang the Saudi anthem in that fashion, with its melody and lyrics very well known among Saudis and with great sentimental value.

But the choice was also ambitious. It isn't easy to remould the lyrics of the anthem in a manner that suits opera. Al-Bahiti’s interpretation intertwined the unique resonance of the anthem’s Arabic lyrics with the nature of operatic singing, in a fusion that she hopes will work for other songs, opening up opera for Arab music lovers.

In an interview with Al Majalla, al-Bahiti discussed her career, her views on the Saudi audience’s reaction to her art and the all-encompassing cultural modernisation campaign running throughout all the Kingdom’s institutions, along with the role Saudi women are playing in this modernisation.

An early love of rock ‘n’ roll

Al-Bahiti learned to play the guitar at an early age and later became fond of Rock ‘n’ Roll and pop music. Her shift to opera came about as she sought a new challenge.

She said: “The way an opera singer fully utilises his or her vocal capabilities unleashes exceptional expressive power. The difficulty of mastering the art of opera singing also makes it an exciting challenge. These characteristics of opera are distinctive and hard to find in other genres. Therefore, I felt that opera singing represents me”.

The way an opera singer fully utilises his or her vocal capabilities unleashes exceptional expressive power. The difficulty of mastering the art of opera singing also makes it an exciting challenge.

Sawsan al-Bahiti, Saudi opera singer

The performance of the Saudi anthem

Every country holds its national anthem in high regard, making any artistic interpretation of them sensitive, making al-Bahiti's take on the anthem an artistic and emotional adventure.

In her words: "Such a sensitivity might be aroused if the melody of an anthem has been altogether changed, and is dissociated from the singing style. I wasn't the first one to sing the Saudi anthem in a different way, but the reaction of the audience was mostly excitement and admiration for my version."

"The reason for their reaction is that opera singing is quite similar to the conventional way of singing, which is adopted while performing any national anthem across the world".

Saudi investment in culture

The modernisation process underway in Saudi Arabia is seeking more professionalisation and standardisation, including within the cultural sector.

Al-Bahiti regards herself as part of this campaign and has inaugurated a special studio that provides scientific training on all vocal skills.

"I am here to raise awareness of the importance of vocal training that I make available both to amateurs and professionals through a specialised and certified voice trainer," she said.

Arabic is compatible with opera

Al-Bahiti believes that Arabic is compatible with opera, even though the art form is entirely Western in its language and content.

"I performed opera in many different languages, including German, Russian, Italian, and French among others. With each language, I had to adapt the articulation of phonetic sounds to go with the musical flow of the operatic piece. Why should Arabic be any different in that regard?"

Sawsan al-Bahiti at the International Opera Festival in Riyadh.

She thinks the reason it has taken so long for the compatibility of Arabic and opera to be recognised is because of "the lack of serious studies and experimental performances to combine both elements successfully."

She adds: "I was thrilled when learning that some Arab female opera singers are performing in Arabic in an elegant style that combines the unique beauty of Arabic with the specific characteristics of opera," adding: "The Saudi audience was surprisingly very receptive to operatic singing and admired the amazing vocal capabilities displayed through it."

"However, the Saudis are also an audience to whom the sung word plays a key role, and we can make use of this element when presenting opera in the standard Arabic language, thereby gradually increasing recognition and acceptance for it."

Opera is more than a career, it is a lifestyle

Opera is not just a career, but an entire lifestyle. As al-Bahiti says: "An opera singer has to constantly take care of his or her body since it is the basic tool for artistic performance."

"Hence, a balanced dietary pattern must be adopted, water should be sipped on a regular basis to keep the vocal cords moist, and one must make sure to get enough deep sleep."

She adds: "To guarantee quality performance, it is also highly essential to train your voice and maintain its capabilities through daily practice assisted by a specialist."

Overwhelming support

One of many Saudi women in a range of areas to recently gain influence and shatter the conventional perception of them, al-Bahiti says: "The empowerment of Saudi women was the key motivation behind my decision to pursue opera singing, which combines global fame with elegance and prestige, and helps change perceptions of Saudi Arabia in general, and that of Saudi women in particular."

The empowerment of Saudi women was the key motivation behind my decision to pursue opera singing, which combines global fame with elegance and prestige.

Sawsan al-Bahiti, Saudi opera singer

And: "There is tangible support from family and community for Saudi women's emergence in the cultural arena, especially because they have proven capable of preserving their values and cultural identity while performing."

Modifications for different audiences

Opera's entirely European roots mean that its own culture has specific characteristics. Its themes reflect conflicts, crises, and social and political issues, along with shifts in lifestyle and mentality. That means it can be seen to contrast with the conventional content of Arab songs and lyrics.

Al-Bahiti acknowledges that and proposes a simple solution for the cultural gap. She says: "It is true that all operatic productions stemmed from cultures that are so different from ours. However, with some minor modifications, the content can be made suitable for Arab audiences."

"This has also been done in Europe where many famous operas have been adopted to suit the taste of modern audiences."

Al-Bahiti rejects the notion that opera is not compatible with Arabic music.

"Opera is a theatrical art par excellence that is so close to drama plays, albeit presenting stories in a different way. As a matter of fact, opera was one of the most influential means used to instigate social change in Europe."

For opera to be successful in the Arab world, she suggests "innovating performances that reflect Arab social themes and contexts to produce a new kind of operatic interpretation."

Style and influences

Some Arab female opera singers have succeeded in making their mark on the wider musical scene, and al-Bahiti is one of them, with a distinctive artistic style of her own.

"Each voice has its own qualities that distinguish it from other voices and reflect its identity and experience. I probably acquired my own vocal style by performing various kinds of genres that included pop, rock 'n' roll, and traditional Arabic songs."

Her unique style was "the result of continuously developing vocal techniques and performances."

Al-Bahiti's favourite singer is the Egyptian Abdel Halim Hafez (1929-1977).

"His songs and their melodies never fail to enchant me. During the Symphonic Party dedicated to the late musician Abdel Wahab, I performed some of Abdel Halim's songs after they were musically rearranged in a symphonic manner.

"One of my wishes is to perform the songs of Hafez in an operatic style."

The responsibility of a pioneer

As the first Saudi female opera singer, al-Bahiti has status, but with it comes expectations that she will do much more, and with that comes a sense of huge responsibility.

"Once Saudi media outlets proclaimed me the first national opera singer, I had mixed feelings that ranged from happiness to anxiety."

"I feel a serious responsibility to perform this elegant art form for a Saudi audience in an acceptable manner and represent my country across the world."

"This sense of national and artistic responsibility is also a huge motivation to constantly develop the artistic capabilities that would enable me to achieve world-class levels."

I feel a serious responsibility to perform this elegant art form for a Saudi audience in an acceptable manner and represent my country across the world.

Sawsan al-Bahiti, Saudi opera singer

Al-Bahiti believes that methodological development and training are important to becoming a successful artist, but talent is a must.

She thinks that the Saudi artistic scene still lacks knowledge and recognition of the need for such rigorous training. She hopes the launch of her voice training studio will help turn her country into a hub for professional singing for both the Saudi and Arab artistic scenes.

"The main objective of my studio is to achieve a qualitative leap among singers in Saudi Arabia by providing them with rich scientific insight into the various genres of music and singing they can perform, and convincing them that talent and continuous training go hand in hand."

Preference for female voices

Al-Bahiti does not hide her subtle bias for female voices, albeit in a diplomatic manner, not only from an artistic point of view but also in connection with the current important shifts taking place in Saudi society, particularly in relation to the empowerment of women.

"The improved presence of female voices, along with the emergence of female singers and musicians will help present various themes related to female empowerment in the field of operatic production, as well as in all other fields."

Al-Bahiti concluded the interview with an exciting promise, saying: "The all-encompassing developmental project launched by the Kingdom, particularly in the fields of culture and arts, will give birth quite soon to the very first fully Saudi opera production in terms of composition, singing, and performance."

She noted that she was not talking of a dream or a personal wish, but rather of a serious project that will constitute a very distinguished gift to Saudi and Arab audiences.

"It will take place much sooner than you think," she said.

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