From singing rock music to sharing the stage with Andrea Bocelli, Saudi soprano Sawsan Albahiti is breaking new ground in opera while helping build the Kingdom's next generation of musical talent. In January 2024, Saudi soprano Sawsan Albahiti stood on stage at Maraya in AlUla alongside one of the world's most recognized opera singers, Andrea Bocelli. Together with Italian soprano Serena Gamberoni, she performed Time to Say Goodbye, a song she had admired since her university days. Years earlier, she had imagined performing that very song with Bocelli. Now, that dream was unfolding before a live audience in Saudi Arabia.
For Albahiti, the moment represented years of musical training, a bold career change, and a determination to introduce opera to a new generation of Saudi audiences. Widely recognized as Saudi Arabia's first professional opera singer, Albahiti has become an important figure in the Kingdom's growing music industry. Her work extends beyond performing to vocal coaching, music education, and helping establish the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir. Her journey shows how personal ambition can grow into something much larger: an opportunity to help shape an emerging cultural industry.
From Rock Music to Discovering Opera
Long before she discovered classical singing, Sawsan Albahiti was fascinated by rock music. She grew up playing guitar and listening to artists such as Metallica, Pearl Jam, and Guns N' Roses. The first song she performed while playing guitar was Metallica's Nothing Else Matters. Opera entered her life much later. While studying mass communication and advertising at the American University of Sharjah, she joined the university choir in 2008. The choir conductor and his wife, an opera singer and vocal coach, recognized the potential in her voice and encouraged her to explore classical singing.
“They offered to do vocal coaching with me and trained me to sing with the choir and to sing with an accompanist. It was continuous training. I would be practising four days a week. And then every four months, at the end of term, we’d have a performance.”
She was around 18 or 19 when she discovered opera, a genre that immediately captured her attention through its vocal power and emotional expression. Unlike the music she had previously performed, opera demanded a different level of breath control, technique, and theatrical storytelling. For Albahiti, these qualities opened an entirely new creative world.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli also became an important influence. As a university student, she would listen to his performance of Time to Say Goodbye with Sarah Brightman at the Dubai Fountain. The experience inspired her dream of one day singing alongside him. What began as a university interest gradually became a serious artistic ambition.
A Career Change That Became a Calling
Despite her growing interest in opera, Sawsan Albahiti initially pursued a career in marketing and business. After graduating, she worked in the corporate sector, gaining professional experience while continuing to develop her singing abilities. Yet she increasingly felt that her career was moving away from the work she truly wanted to pursue.
“During those seven years of jobs in marketing and management, I remember doing a private performance for the family, another one for a group of musicians, and performing at both my brothers’ weddings – but that was it.”
In 2019, she made the decision to leave marketing and become a professional singer. The timing was significant. Saudi Arabia was expanding its cultural and entertainment sectors under Vision 2030, creating new opportunities for local artists and performers. Albahiti recognized the moment as an opportunity to build a career around her passion. But she approached the decision with a clear strategy.
"I had a plan. I had a vision what I wanted to do with it."
She wanted to perform, but also to contribute to professional vocal training and the development of Saudi Arabia's music industry. The career change had a profound personal impact. She recalled how her family noticed that she had become happier, calmer, and more relaxed after moving into music. Their encouragement helped sustain her through the challenges of entering a relatively new professional field. Her decision was about more than changing jobs. It was about creating a career that could support her ambitions while contributing to opportunities for other Saudi artists.
The Historic Performance That Introduced Her to Saudi Arabia
In June 2019, Sawsan Albahiti stepped onto the stage at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh for her official public debut in Saudi Arabia. She was invited to open a performance by musicians associated with Milan's prestigious Teatro alla Scala, presenting the Saudi national anthem in an operatic style. The performance became a defining moment in her career, making her the first woman to publicly perform the Saudi national anthem.
For Albahiti, the experience carried even greater significance because it was her first public appearance in the Kingdom as a professional opera singer. She later recalled that she had been unaware of the historical distinction when she stepped onto the stage. She was already nervous about performing in the capital before an internationally respected orchestra.
"I felt like I sang with my soul on that day."
The audience's response left a lasting impression. She described feeling overwhelmed by happiness and pride after completing the performance. The occasion also helped introduce opera to Saudi audiences through a familiar national composition, creating a connection between the country's musical traditions and classical vocal performance. For a singer who had spent years developing her craft, it was the beginning of a new professional chapter.
Sharing the Stage with Andrea Bocelli in AlUla
One of Sawsan Albahiti's most memorable career milestones arrived on January 26, 2024, when she performed with Andrea Bocelli at Maraya in AlUla. Their meeting had a history of its own. Albahiti first met Bocelli in 2021, when she was invited to meet him and his family before a concert in AlUla. She told him how his music had inspired her to pursue opera, an emotional exchange she would later recall in interviews. Three years later, she was invited to perform alongside him.
During the 2024 concert, Sawsan Albahiti delivered pre-show and solo performances before joining Bocelli and Italian soprano Serena Gamberoni for the closing rendition of Time to Say Goodbye. The performance was especially meaningful because she had dreamed of singing this very piece with Bocelli while studying in the UAE.
The reality even resembled a detail from her imagination: Bocelli wore blue, while she wore black. As the performance concluded, the audience responded with a standing ovation. For Albahiti, it was a personal dream fulfilled on a Saudi stage. It also highlighted the growing opportunities for Saudi performers to collaborate with internationally celebrated musicians.
Making History with Zarqa Al Yamama
In April 2024, Sawsan Albahiti reached another important milestone when she joined the cast of Zarqa Al Yamama, Saudi Arabia's first grand opera. Premiering at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh, the production brought an ancient Arabian story to the operatic stage. It featured music by Australian composer Lee Bradshaw and an Arabic libretto by Saudi poet Saleh Zamanan. The international cast included acclaimed British mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly, alongside Saudi performers including Khayran Al-Zahrani and Reemaz Oqbi.
"I was very happy to see the audience grow every night. Some were attending an opera for the first time ever. This is an amazing indicator of a very positive future for opera in Saudi Arabia, specifically Arabic operas, which I believe was a key factor in the success of this show with the local audience."
Albahiti played the role of a bridesmaid, performing alongside Oqbi in a wedding scene that takes a dramatic turn. The production was particularly significant for Albahiti because it was her first experience performing in a full opera. She had to combine acting with operatic singing while working alongside internationally experienced performers. Zarqa Al Yamama demonstrated how stories from the Arabian Peninsula could be adapted into large-scale opera productions, with Saudi performers playing an active role in bringing them to life. For Albahiti, it was another opportunity to contribute to the development of opera within the Kingdom.
Building the Next Generation of Saudi Voices
Sawsan Albahiti's ambitions have always extended beyond her personal achievements as a performer. When she transitioned into music professionally, she began by considering what Saudi Arabia's developing music industry needed. One gap she identified was access to professional vocal coaching. Many aspiring singers were unfamiliar with structured vocal training and its importance for improving technique, protecting vocal health, and preparing for professional performances.
This inspired her to establish The Soulful Voice Studio in Jeddah in 2019. Through the initiative, she has worked to help singers develop their abilities across musical genres, including opera, pop, and Arabic music. Her approach also extends to career guidance, helping emerging artists understand the demands of professional singing. Her contribution grew further through her work with the Saudi Music Commission.
As a project manager working on the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir initiative, she helped coordinate the establishment and training of the ensemble alongside its wider team and management. The orchestra and choir have since represented Saudi music internationally, including through performances in Paris and Mexico. For Albahiti, these efforts reflect a wider commitment to building the professional foundations that aspiring musicians need to succeed. Her work supports both sides of the industry: developing individual performers and contributing to the institutions that provide opportunities for them.
“I love to train singers, whether they’re opera singers, pop singers or singers (in) different Arabic genres. I love to see those singers shaping their voices and polishing their skills. It’s a passion of mine to be a part of that.”
Her Vision for the Future of Saudi Opera
Sawsan Albahiti believes opera has the potential to attract a growing audience in Saudi Arabia, particularly when it is presented in ways that encourage people to explore the genre. As opera gradually gains recognition in the Kingdom, she emphasizes the importance of making performances approachable for audiences experiencing the art form for the first time.
Her vision also includes experimenting with different musical styles. Having grown up listening to rock music, she has expressed interest in combining classical operatic singing with other genres, creating performances that introduce opera to listeners through familiar sounds. Alongside her artistic ambitions, Albahiti continues to advance music education. She refined her operatic training at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and is now a Program Lead at the College of Music at Riyadh University of Arts. Her academic role brings together years of experience in performance, vocal coaching, and institutional development.
As Saudi Arabia expands its investment in cultural education and professional training, her work helps prepare aspiring musicians for careers within a developing creative industry. Her journey has evolved from discovering opera as a student to helping shape how it is taught and developed in Saudi Arabia.
A Voice Opening Doors for Others
Sawsan Albahiti's journey reflects the courage to pursue an unconventional career. From discovering opera at university to leaving marketing behind, she followed her passion at a time when Saudi Arabia's creative industries were expanding. Today, her achievements include performing the Saudi national anthem, sharing the stage with Andrea Bocelli, and contributing to the Kingdom's first grand opera.
Beyond these milestones, her work through The Soulful Voice, the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir, and music education is helping aspiring singers access professional training and new opportunities. As a performer, educator, and pioneer, Albahiti is helping build a future where more Saudi voices can find their place on the world stage.
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