Rihab Chaieb
Mezzo-Soprano
Tunisian-Canadian mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb has drawn international recognition for her clear, sensuous vocal tone and her dramatic flair. With a versatile instrument that allows her to shine in repertoire from Monteverdi, Handel and Mozart through Bizet, Verdi and Glass, the Canadian mezzo is a prominent new talent on the world’s major stages.
In the 2022/23 season, Chaieb makes both notable debuts and anticipated returns: she brings her acclaimed interpretation of Carmen to both the Canadian Opera Company and Calgary Opera and makes her LA Opera debut as Cherubino in James Gray’s new production of Le nozze di Figaro, conducted by James Conlon. At Grand Théâtre de Genève she appears as La mère Meryem in the world-premiere of Christian Jost’s Voyage vers l’espoir and makes her Bayerische Staatsoper debut as Fenena in Verdi’s Nabucco, conducted by Daniele Rustioni.
A regular performer on the concert platform, this season Rihab Chaieb joins Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Richard Egarr in Handel’s Messiah, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Otto Tausk for Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été, and with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, she performs her first Ruggiero in Handel’s Alcina. In recital, she performs alongside pianist Brian Zeger at the Kennedy Center, presented by Vocal Arts DC and joins pianist Valeria Polunina for a first performance in Tallinn, Estonia.
The 2021/22 season included Rihab Chaieb’s debut at Washington National Opera as Dorabella in Così fan tutte, her first Penelope for a European concert tour and recording of Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Ensemble I Gemelli, a return to Opéra National de Montpellier as Maddalena in Marie-Eve Signeyrole’s new staging of Rigoletto, a debut at Palm Beach Opera in the title role of Carmen, and a return to The Metropolitan Opera as Nefertiti in Phelim McDermott’s revelatory production of Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, conducted by Karen Kamensek.