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Tania Kassis: La Soprano du Liban

www.taniakassis.com

Tania Kassis started her first singing lessons at the age of 16, and gave her first solo opera concert at 17. The next year, she interpreted Cosette in the Musical « Les Misérables » at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut.

In July 2001, she is chosen to represent Lebanon in the Fourth Francophone Games (les IVème Jeux de la Francophonie) in Ottawa-Hull (Canada), where the local press said: "cette sirène du pays des cèdres qui a embrasé son public qui lui a réservé une ovation debout" (Journal Le Droit).

This participation had such a success that she was granted the Medal of the town of Ottawa-Hull, the Lebanese Achievement Medaland anExcellency Certificat by « The Canadian Lebanese Professional and Business Association of Ottawa ».

In 2003, she enters the Paris Conservatory in the class of Mr Pierre Catala, qualified by the Julliard School of New York. During this period, she discovers the Musicals and she gives a concert « Special Musicals » at the conservatory and then at the Estivals of Deir el Qamar (Lebanon).

In October 2006, she becomes a member and soloist of the Choir of the Paris Orchestra (le Chœur de l'Orchestre de Paris) and participate regularly to it's concerts at the prestigious Salle Pleyel.

In June 2007, she presents ETERNAL LEBANON (Eternel Liban) at the UNESCO Palace of Paris with a repertoire representing the Lebanese cultural diversity, mixing classical music to oriental and occidental music."Elle réussi la gageure de cet essor au niveau international" L'Orient-Le-Jour.

In August , she presents « L'Amour à l'Américaine », a jazzy concert that had a huge success at the Faqra Festival, and finishes the year 2007 with a big Christmas Concert untitled : "Christmas From The Movies" at the Palais des Congrès of Beirut, accompanied by a 12-piece orchestra and movies projections. This concert was attended by more than 1500 persons!

2008 was very rich in concerts: "From Mozart to Gershwin" and her role of Christine in "The Phantom of the Opera" in Paris, a concert in New York for the 125th anniversary of Gibran Khalil Gibran, "The Magic of Broadway" in Lebanon that received excellent comments in the press: "Une voix qui ensorcelle et séduit. Cette voix, on l'écouterait les yeux fermés juste pour le plaisir de la musique" L'Orient-Le-Jour.

She finished the year with a Latin American Concert Tour passing by Venezuela and Colombia, and a concert at the UNESCO Palace of Paris celebrating again the 125th anniversary of Gibran Khalil Gibran and sharing the stage with the famous french singer Francis Lalanne.

In 2009, Tania Kassis presented 2 Islamo-Christian Concerts in Paris & in Beirut. She composed for this occasion an "Islamo-Christian AVE" (an Ave Maria mixed with the Muezzin "Allah Akbar".

She performed in July at the "Christian Song Summer Festival" in Batroun, twice in August at the Faqra Festival ("Around The World" Concert and "Around The Virgin Mary" Concert), and in September at the Saida International Festival organised by Mrs Bahia Hariri "Oumsiya Loubnania".

Tania Kassis has also been invited to be part of the big Opening of the VIth Francophony Games that took place at the "Cité Sportive" in Beirut and that was attended by 30,000 persons as well as the Lebanese President Michel Sleimane, the French First Minister François Fillon, Mr Abdou Diouf, the Prince Albert II of Monaco and other lebanese and international personalities. Tania Kassis sang her "Islamo-Christian AVE " to represent the city of BEIRUT!

In November she offered a second concert in Colombia at the Teatro de Bellas Artes de Bogota that had a big success. She also sang a Maronite Mass at the famous Catedral de Sal that has been transmitted by several local television channels. She ended the year participating to the Second Festival of Sacred Music (Beirut Chant) with her “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” Concert at St Louis Capucin Church.

On February 14th 2010, Tania Kassis has been asked by the Lebanese Prime Minister Mr Saad Hariri to sing theIslamo-Christian AVE at the Martyr Square during the big commemoration of Rafic Hariri’s death in front of more than 200,000 persons. Following this performance, the Pope Benoît XVI asked the Prime Minister to send him a copy of this common prayer!

CD Releases:

"Oriental Colors": a mixture of International ans Lebanese songs including different music styles going from Jazz to Bossa Nova and from Traditional to Techno songs with contributions from many renowned musicians and DJs such as Elias Rahbani, Michel Fadel, Jad Mhanna, Said Mrad, Fabrice Mantegna (Tenor of the group ERA) and other Lebanese and French artists.

"Islamo-Christian AVE": An inspired arrangement of Ave Maria accompanied by the Adhan "Allah Akbar"

Some of Tania Kassis’ main performances

FRANCE

2009: Islamo-Christian Concert organized by the World Lebanese Cultural Union and the Lebanese Businessman’s Association of France at Collège des Bernardins in Paris. In March,special Participation honoring the Lebanese President Michel Sleimane at the occasion of his trip to Paris

2008: Concert with the famous french singer Francis Lalanne for the 125 Anniversary of Gibran Khalil Gibran at the UNESCO Palace in Parisorganized by the World Lebanese Cultural Union and the Lebanese Businessman’s Association of France. Role of Christine in "The Phantom of the Opera" (Private concerts in costume) "From Mozart to Gershwin" Concert at Conservatoire Francis Poulenc in Paris

2007: "Eternel Liban" Concert at UNESCO-Paris, under the High Patronage of the Lebanese Delegation of the UNESCO and her Excellency Mrs Sylvie Fadlallah, and with the support of the Lebanese Tourism Information Office of Paris. The aim of this concert was to promote the Lebanese cultural diversity (France)

2005: "Special Musicals" concert at Conservatoire Francis Poulenc in Paris

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA


2008: Concert for the 125 Anniversary of Gibran Khalil Gibran at Colombia University in New York, organized by the New Pen’s League





CANADA


2001: Represented Lebanon at the « 4th Francophony Games » in Ottawa-Hull





VENEZUELA


2008: Fundraising concert in Caracas for the Lebanese Red Cross





COLOMBIA


2009: Fundraising concert in the Teatro de Bellas Artes de Bogota for the “Nuestra Senora del Libano” Association & Big Mass Celebration in the famous Catedral de Sal in Bogota, transmitted on local television channels


2008: Fundraising concert at the Club Nogal in Bogota for the “Nuestra Senora del Libano” Association





LEBANON


2010: Fifth Commemoration of P.M. Rafic Hariri’s Death at the Martyr Square on February 14 with the “Islamo-Christian AVE”.


2009: Second Festival of Sacred Music (Beirut Chant) “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” Concert at St Louis Capucin Church Opening of the VIth Francophony Games, International Saida Festival with « Oumsiya Loubnania », Faqra Summer Festival« Around The World » Concert, Faqra Summer Festival « Around The Virgin Mary » Concert & Christian Song Summer Festivalof Batroun(Lebanon) Islamo-Christian Concerts organized by the World Lebanese Cultural Union and the Lebanese Businessman’s Association of France at Campus des Sciences Humaines in Beirut


2008: Faqra Summer Festival, «The Magic of Broadway» written & created by Tania Kassis


2007: "Christmas From The Movies" concert at the Palais des Congrès & Faqra Summer Festival with a jazzy concert"L’Amour à l’Américaine”


2006: "I'm Dreaming of a White Peaceful Christmas", concert for Peace at the Jesuits Church (Lebanon)


2005: Deir el Qamar Festival with "The Magic Of The Musicals" written and created by Tania Kassis


2002: Al Bustan Festival, concert promoting young Lebanese talents (Lebanon)


2001- 2003: Several Charity Concerts in Lebanon


1999-2000: Soloist of the Lycée Franco-Libanais Choir, directed by Mrs Noha Hatem (Lebanon)


May 2000: Role of Cosette in «The Miserables» sponsored by the French Cultural Center (UNESCO-Lebanon)


May 1999: First classical and religious concert at the Notre Dame des Dons Church (Lebanon)

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