Gala El Hadidi
At the age of 18, Gala El Hadidi became a permanent ensemble member of the Cairo Opera. And after studying in the USA, she moved to the Semperoper Dresden and was a member of the ensemble from 2010 to 2016.
She sang under conductors such as: Christian Thielemann, Marek Janowski, Jonathan Darlington, Graeme Jenkins, Jan Willem de Vriend, Julia Jones, Omer Meir-Wellber, Asher Fisch, Stefan Lano, Piergiorgio Morandi, Christian Vasquez, Modestas Pitrenas, Alexander Joel, Cornelius Meister, Lorenzo Viotti, Constantin Trinks, Mikhal Kütson, Stefan Klingele and Rani Calderon – and with singers like: Juan-Diego Florez, Waltraud Meier, Evelyn Herlitzius and others.
Lieder recitals and concert appearances have taken her to the Berlin Philharmonie, Konzerthaus Berlin, Stuttgart Liederhalle, Auditorio Nacional di Madrid, Kennedy Center, Stavanger Konzerthus, Savonlinnasali, Musikhuset Aarhus, St. David’s Hall, Cadogan Hall in London, Qatara Opera House. Her roles at the Semperoper include. the title role in “Carmen”, Helena (“Die Schöne Helena”), Rosina (“Il barbiere di Siviglia”), Dorina (“Dorina e Nibbio”), Hänsel (“Hänsel und Gretel”), Medoro (“Orlando”), Prince Orlofsky (“Die Fledermaus”), Sylvia Varescu (“The Csardas Princess”) (“Prince Bussel”), Cherubino (“Le nozze di Figaro”), Maddalena (“Rigoletto”), Second Maid (“Elektra” & “Daphne”), Second & Third Lady (“The Magic Flute”).
El Hadidi can be heard with the Dresdner Staatskapelle on two Deutsche Grammophone CD productions: ZDF New Year’s Eve Concert with Thielemann, Renee Fleming and the Grammy nominated “Elektra” by Strauss under Thielemann.
She recently made her debut with Beethoven’s Ninth at the Chaise Dieu Festival, as 2nd alto voice alongside Waltraud Meier in Mahler’s Eighth at the Dresden Music Festival, with De Falla’s “El Amor Brujo” at the Verbier Festival and the title role in “Carmen” at Ankara Devlet Opera, Theater St. Gallen, Opera de Wallonie, Opera en plein air Festival in Paris, Semperoper Dresden and Opernhaus Zürich. In June 2019 she made her debut with “Die Gezeichneten” at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and in September 2019 her first CD recording was released as Berlioz’ “Cleopatra” with the Concertgebouw’s Cammerata.
El Hadidi was born in Cairo. She received her Master of Music from Yale University, as well as M.A. in English and Comparative Literature and B.A. in Philosophy from AUC. A scholarship took her to the International Bach Academy Stuttgart and the Savonlinna Music Academy in Finland. During her studies at Yale, she was taught by Doris Yarick-Cross and took master classes with Marylin Horne, Teresa Berganza, Tom Krause and Francesco Araiza. In 2010 she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. At the 2011 Stella Maris International Singing Competition, she won two of the three Grand Jury Prizes, which included a test recording for Deutsche Grammophon and a guest engagement at the Vienna State Opera. In 2013 she became the first Egyptian to be nominated for BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.