Egyptian soprano Fatma Said announced on her Facebook page last week that she has signed a recording contract with leading classical label Warner Classics. The label shared the news on their Twitter account, writing: “Welcome to the Warner Classics family, @FatmaSaid! The Egyptian soprano, who in 2016 was named a BBC New Generation Artist, studied at the Hanns Eisler School of Music and Accademia del Teatro alla Scala. Her debut album will release later this year.” Said, 29, wrote on her Facebook that she had signed the contract a few months ago, saying she felt “lucky and blessed” to have a supportive team working with her on her debut album. Said's singing career took a serious turn when, at the age of 14, she enrolled at the vocal studio of Neveen Allouba. After graduating high school she went to Germany to continue her music studies and enrolled at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin, where she studied under Renate Faltin. She later won the 8th Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition in Dublin. In 2011, Said won the second award at the 16th International Schuman Lied Contest, as well as the Grand Award at the Giulio Peroti International Opera Contest. In 2012, she won both first prize and the audience prize at the 7th Leyla Gencer Voice Competition that took place in Istanbul, Turkey. Said then decided to apply for a scholarship at the prestigious La Scala Academy in Milan. After four rounds of screenings, Said found herself in a group of 11 young talents chosen by the Academy from thousands of applicants. She was the first Egyptian singer to be accepted to this world-renowned institution, and went on to perform there in Mozart's Magic Flute. Said was also one of six musicians selected by BBC Radio 3 to take part in its New Generation Artist Scheme from 2016 to 2018. “Warner Classics is the home of iconic recordings from Maria Callas, Jacqueline du Pré, Karajan and other legends,” reads the label's website. “Based in Paris, Warner Classics and its sister label Erato together comprise one of the world's leading global classical music recording companies. In 2013, with WMG's acquisition of Parlophone Label Group, the renowned EMI Classics roster and catalog became part of Warner Classics. The label exclusively records such acclaimed artists as Emmanuel Pahud, Piotr Anderszewski, Sir Antonio Pappano, and distinguished organisations like the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and l'Arpeggiata.” For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
