The 2022 International Opera Festival

The 2022 International Opera Festival is a Saudi operatic singing festival organized by the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, supported by the Quality of Life Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 Realization Programs (VRPs). It was held at Boulevard Riyadh City on Abu Bakr Salem Stage in Riyadh City. The festival took place on June 18, 2022, and lasted for three days.

During its first night, the 2022 International Opera Festival featured several opera singers, including Sawsan al-Bahiti and Joseph Calleja. On the second night, Mostafa Shirah and Gevorg Hakobyan performed, while on the third night, Danielle de Niese and Khayran al-Zahrani took the stage. Al-Zahrani performed the first Saudi opera, titled "A'ala Wa Amjado" (Higher and More Sublime), a poem by the poet Hassan Bin Thabet.

The festival included a special opera exhibition showcasing classical art and related collections, such as costumes, the history of opera, and musical instruments. The exhibition allowed visitors to listen to rare and historic opera music in designated spaces and places. The exhibition also offered opportunities to learn about operatic works, performers, and actors worldwide through interactive screens. Additionally, the exhibition featured global opera performances, various operatic segments, and educational workshops discussing a range of topics, including the introduction to orchestras and the history of musical instruments, opera singing, a piano-playing workshop, and the history of opera.

The festival hosted a series of workshops, including one titled 'The History of Opera,' presented by Saudi opera artist Sawsan al-Bahiti. This workshop focused on introducing the art of opera, explaining its evolution from its early theatrical form accompanied by an orchestra, and contrasting it with the cultural scene before the emergence of opera when poetry and philosophy were the foundation. The session also explored the challenges faced by those wishing to sing opera in Arabic, as Arabic art is based on poetic verses, while opera relies on melodies and the simplification of words. Additionally, the workshop addressed the difficulty of pronouncing certain Arabic letters that originate from the throat.

A workshop titled 'Opera Singing' was also organized, focusing on the functions of the voice and muscles in operatic singing, incorrect singing practices, and health issues affecting the artist's vocal cords. The workshop highlighted healthy breathing techniques, the correct use of the lungs during singing, and related exercises. It also discussed the mechanisms behind vocal production and the appropriate way to open the mouth during operatic performances.