Fatma Said (soprano) with Rafael Aguirre (guitar) – virtual concert

Soprano Fatma Said and guitarist Rafael Aguirre bring the beauty of Arabic and Spanish cultures together to create a sublime and illuminating experience that you won’t want to miss.

Fatma Said, making her United States recital debut with this performance, began her singing career at age fourteen in Cairo. She has since become a frequent principal at Teatro alla Scala and other opera houses and festivals across Europe. She maintains a busy schedule as a soloist with orchestras as well, appearing locally in the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s 2019 performances and recording of Suor Angelica. Of her latest album El Nour, which means ‘the light,’” in Arabic, Fatma says, “I feel I am shedding light on how music that has been interpreted many times in the past can be presented in different ways—in other words, it can be perceived in a different light. The idea is to connect three cultures—Arabic, French, and Spanish—and to show how much, despite cultural, geographical, and historical differences, they have in common when it comes to music.”

The program features Spanish, Egyptian, Brazilian, and Lebanese songs, including works by Manuel de Falla, Daoud Hosni, Heitor Villa-Lobos, contemporary Egyptian composer Sherif Mohie El Din, and many more.