Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will present “An Evening of Opera with Fabienne Conrad and Toufic Maatouk” on Saturday, May 16, at the Katara Opera House, offering audiences a rich celebration of some of opera’s most enduring masterpieces.
The concert, scheduled to begin at 7:30pm, will bring together internationally acclaimed French soprano Fabienne Conrad, distinguished Lebanese conductor Toufic Maatouk, the Qatar Concert Choir and the full Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in what promises to be a memorable evening of orchestral and vocal excellence.
The programme has been carefully curated to showcase the emotional depth and musical sophistication of opera, featuring celebrated works from the Classical and Romantic eras by composers including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Vincenzo Bellini, Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini and Antonín Dvořák.
Among the evening’s highlights will be Bellini’s famed aria “Casta Diva” from Norma, renowned for its lyrical beauty and technical demands.
The piece is widely regarded as one of the defining examples of the bel canto tradition, requiring remarkable vocal control and expressive finesse.
Audiences will also experience Verdi’s “Sempre libera” from La Traviata, a dramatic and virtuosic aria portraying emotional conflict through dazzling vocal agility and intensity.
Another major feature of the programme is Puccini’s “Vissi d’arte” from Tosca, an emotionally charged reflection on love, sacrifice and faith that remains one of opera’s most moving compositions.
The concert will further include the iconic “Anvil Chorus” from Il Trovatore, performed with the Qatar Concert Choir, adding dramatic power and choral energy to the evening. Rossini’s lively overtures and Dvořák’s richly melodic orchestral compositions will complete a programme that moves seamlessly between grandeur, intimacy and emotional intensity. The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra continues to play a central role in Qatar’s cultural landscape, bringing together musicians from around the world and presenting performances that celebrate both Western classical music and regional artistic traditions.
