Rihab Chaieb
Rihab Chaieb
Rihab Chaieb

Rihab Chaieb

Mezzo-soprano
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“Her smoky, beguiling mezzo was poised and pliant, and she cut an exotic, authoritative figure”

(Opera Today, September 2017)

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Rihab Chaieb
Rihab Chaieb
Rihab Chaieb
Rihab Chaieb
Fantasio, Montpellier 3 (c) Marc Ginot

A recent graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program, Tunisian-born mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb was raised and trained in Canada, and has garnered praise for her strong dramatic charm and rich vocals.

Rihab Chaieb is a former member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio and participant in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program where she made important role debuts as Sesto (La clemenza di Tito) and Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro) respectively. A Glyndebourne Festival debut as Mércedès in David McVicar’s production of Carmen under Jakub Hrůša was followed by an acclaimed Metropolitan Opera debut as Zulma in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri, with further experience including Flora (La traviata) at Glyndebourne, Lola (Cavalleria rusticana), Laura (Luisa Miller) and Sandman (Hänsel und Gretel) at The Met, Tebaldo (Don Carlo) at Opéra National de Bordeaux, and Juno and Ino (Semele) in Toronto. 

The current season started with competition success with Rihab Chaieb winning Third Prize at the 2018 edition of Placido Domingo’s Operalia Competition, and continues with debuts as Offenbach’s Fantasio at Opéra et Orchestre National de Montpellier and Kasturbai in Philip Glass’ Satyagraha at Opera Vlaanderen, alongside productions of Così fan tutte (Dorabella), Le nozze di Figaro (Cherubino) and Don Giovanni (Zerlina) at Teatro Santiago de Chile, Cincinnati Opera and The Met respectively. Marking her company debut at Houston Grand Opera, Chaieb also creates several roles in the world-premiere of Tarik O’Regan’s The Phoenix.

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Mon Coeur s’ouvre a ta voix (excerpt) Operalia 2018 © Medici.tv
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Bizet: 'L’amour est un oiseau rebelle', Carmen © Concours musical international de Montreal
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Mozart: 'Il padre adorato', Idomeneo © Concours musical international de Montreal
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Liszt: 'Die drei Zigeuner' © Concours musical international de Montreal

“Chaieb brought her glowing tones to three roles: famed singer Maria Malibran, then Mozart and Nancy da Ponte in the opera-within-an-opera. The mischievous energy of Chaieb’s Mozart complemented the warmth of her portrayal of wife and mother Nancy…Chaieb’s rich-voiced resoluteness made that another of The Phoenix’s most powerful moments.”

(Texas Classical Review, April 2019)

“Young mezzo Rihab Chaieb, in her HGO debut, is a delightful surprise in her triple role as Nancy, 19th-century superstar Maria Malibran and fiery Mozart. Nancy’s ​“Lullaby” to her children felled by disease is achingly poignant. Chaieb supplies vibrant life and emotional connection to her characters”

(Houston Press, April 2019)

“Rihab Chaieb had presence from her first entrance as Fantasio, displaying her distinctive natural timbre, good flexibility and poised top notes.”

(Forum Opéra, January 2019)

“Rihab Chaieb succeeded with flying colours as Fantasio. Her aria ​’Voyes dans le nuit brune’ was particularly enchanting and demonstrated her clean lines, impressive diction and exceptional lower range. In short, a truly special voice!”

(Opéra-Online, January 2019)

“Rihab Chaieb triumphs in the title role of Fantasio, demonstrating her round, wide-ranging voice.”

(Concertonet, January 2019)

“Rihab Chaieb sounded fresh and youthful as the village girl Laura.”

(Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, April 2018)

“Rihab Chaieb impressed as Lola, standing out from the crowd”

(Bachtrack, January 2018)

“Rihab Chaieb’s shimmery-voiced Lola”

(Financial Times, January 2018)

“Rihab Chaieb was superb as Alfio’s dallying young bride Lola, showing an alluring smoke in her voice.”

(New York Classical Review, January 2018)

“the mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb threw herself heroically into the [role of the Prince] – a character reminiscent of Bluebeard”

(Opera Magazine, December 2017)

“Rihab Chaieb’s high-maintenance Flora was a sensuous vocal presence”

(Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Magazine, October 2017)

“As her lover, mezzo Rihab Chaieb, working a pipe and an enigmatic sneer/​smile, sounded properly seductive.”

(Opera News, October 2017)

“Rihab Chaieb has a rapturous voice, full of lush colours.”

(Schmopera, October 2017)

“In the trouser role of the Fairy Prince, Rihab Chaieb matched her co-star strength for strength. Her smoky, beguiling mezzo was poised and pliant, and she cut an exotic, authoritative figure as the swaggering royal. Ms Chiaeb is a first rate musician who ably met the considerable musical demands set out for her, including an easy sensuality in her caressing manner with any number of loving, arched phrases.”

(Opera Today, September 2017)

“and [the] androgynous Fair Prince, Rihab Chaieb, a charismatic mezzo-soprano”

(New York Times, Anthony Tommasini, September 2017)

“Rihab Chaieb was the prince, slipping on a throaty and agile mezzo.”

(Philadelphia Inquirer, September 2017)

“Of the smaller roles, Flora (Rihab Chaieb) [was] especially well sung and dramatically convincing, too”

(Opera Magazine, July 2017)

“Rihab Chaieb’s warm Flora”

(Bachtrack, May 2017)

“The vibrant Canadian-Tunisian mezzo Rihab Chaieb, as Elvira’s slave, Zulma”

(New York Times, October 2016)

“Mezzo Rihab Chaieb made a solid first Met appearance as Elvira’s friend Zulma”

(New York Classical Review, October 2016)

“Rihab Chaieb made a fine Met debut as Elvira’s friend, Zulma.”

(Opera Critic, October 2016)

“Rihab Chaieb gives Tebaldo a smiling freshness.”

(ConcertoNet.com, September 2015)

“the sparkling Tebaldo of Rihab Chaieb”

(L’Avant-Scène Opéra, September 2015)

“Rihab Chaieb [stands] out as Mercédès”

(John Allison, Telegraph, May 2015)
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