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RIYADH: Saudi soprano Reemas Oghbi recently wowed international audiences with her voice as the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir took the world-famous Metropolitan Opera House in New York City by storm.

After vocal rehearsals, silent exercises and sipping hot tea, there was nothing but silence as the ensemble marked the beginning of a historic moment.

Oqbi told Arab News: “It’s definitely one of the highlights of my career … It was amazing to go back to America and show something from my home country and on such a huge, prestigious stage like we did.”

Ogbi has not been introduced to the stage since the age of seven. Foremost with years of experience as a singer, she learned to express herself and use classical music as a tool to build a bridge between Saudi Arabia and the world.

“I was incredibly proud to stand on stage and share that with my colleagues. When we finished the concert, everyone had this euphoric feeling. Like, ‘Oh my God, we did something amazing.’ Methodically, we are trying to present the best image, authentically,” he said.

The event, held in September, went viral in the Kingdom and abroad, marking a pivotal moment in Saudi cultural development and exchange.

The soprano singer and instrumentalist is one of the few Saudis to have studied opera. Originally from Medina, Ogbi lived in California most of his life and attended a fine arts academy.

He started singing and playing the flute in the school choir in the third grade and hasn’t stopped since. After dabbling in various genres, Okbi found that he could best express himself in classical music.

“When I was 16 or 17, I was like, ‘I have the talent, I have the voice for classical singing,’ so instead of doing what was trendy or popular, I would nurture that,” he noted.

With no music programs in the Kingdom, she pursued international relations with a minor in music at the American University of Sharjah. She accepted a position for two years with the all-female ensemble of the Firthous Orchestra, an initiative of the Dubai Expo.

“It’s one thing to expand your knowledge and experience elsewhere, it’s another thing to do the same things in the community you want to serve and expand,” Oqbi explained.

I am now able to truly do what I love, do it well, have the opportunities to do it, and see it in the generations that come after me… What we create now is not for ourselves.

Remus OkbiSaudi opera singer

Classical music, a genre that originated in Europe, has grown to cultivate an air of prestige, often stigmatized from Eurocentric beliefs. However, Oqbi believes that this genre deserves a place in Arab societies as well, and it slowly became his driving mission.

She said: “I don’t want the outside world to look at us and Saudi society and say, ‘Oh, they don’t get it’ or ‘They don’t get it, it’s the Europeans, that’s it’. Too subtle for them.’ We know that the majority of Saudi audiences for these types of concerts have a more classical music background – and I want that to change.

Inspired by Arab singers such as the Syrian-Egyptian singer Asmahan, Okbi has incorporated classic Arabic sounds into Western genres to create unique innovations rather than following traditional compositions.

In one of her recent private concerts, she performed the song “Habanera” from the opera “Carmen” by the French composer Georges Bijet. When he sang the first half in French, he moved from the song’s minor key to the maqam hijaz, one of the major compositions of classical Arabic. “It’s very fluid. It doesn’t have to be very tight,” she said.

I am now able to truly do what I love, do it well, have the opportunities to do it, and see it in the generations that come after me… What we create now is not for ourselves.

Remus OkbiSaudi opera singer

The music scene in Saudi has been subdued for decades and is only now gaining momentum thanks to efforts by the Saudi Ministry of Culture and its Music Authority to legitimize it as a viable industry.

Returning to Riyadh was “the best decision I’ve made in a while,” Ogbi said. He is a manager and musician in the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir. Excitement hung in his voice as he talked about the growing music scene in the region and its bright future.

“I’m now able to truly do what I love, do it well, have opportunities to do them, and see that in the generations that come after me … what we’re building now is not for us,” Ogbe said.

“How many talents have we lost over the generations? I don’t want to let another talent go to waste. Art exists as long as there is opportunity,” he added.

She flashes back to age seven and recalls how easy it was to enroll in a music class and begin her journey. She believes it applies to every individual who has a dream.

Ogbi noted that her courageous achievements would not have been possible without the support of her parents: “I was never made to feel by my parents that I was not worthy of the things I learned because I am a girl. .”

With so many creative opportunities in the region, Oqbi next plans to create and record music that bridges the gap between Arabic tunes and opera for Saudi Arabia. And she hopes to help develop female talent in the region.