Saudi Gazette report

Riyadh — The Ministry of Culture organized a one-of-a-kind workshop in Saudi Arabia to teach “The History of Opera” to those interested in the arts.

The workshop presented by the Saudi opera singer Sawsan Al-Bahiti is part of the “International Opera Festival” currently organized in Riyadh.

The workshop began by defining the art of opera as a theatrical, lyrical, visual and sound art, and its contemporary form differs from its beginnings when it was cast in a theatrical body accompanied by the orchestra.

Later, she explained the layers of singing voices represented by the “soprano”, which is one of the highest classes, and the “Alto” and the “bass”.

The workshop addressed the state of the art before the emergence of opera, when poetry and philosophy dominated the cultural scene in the world, until 1597 AD, when the lyrical voice of Italy resounds with the opera “Daphne” in Florence.

During its emergence, opera also addressed social issues, so composers took up the torch of Enlightenment on the European continent.

The workshop addressed the challenges of lyrical singing in Arabic, because Arabic art is based on poetic poetry, while opera is based on melodies and softens words.

It is in addition to the difficulty of pronouncing the alphabet of Dhad that some of its letters come out of the throat.

The workshop also reviewed the historical periods affected by opera.