Hiba Tawaji
Hiba Tawaji | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Hiba Michel Tawaji |
| Born | December 10, 1987 |
| Origin | Achrafieh, Lebanon |
| Genres | Oriental music, jazz, opera, funk, pop music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress, director |
| Instrument | Vocals |
Hiba Michel Tawaji (Template:Lang-ar) was born on December 10, 1987, in Achrafieh - Beirut, and grew up in the Elissar - Matn District. Tawaji is a Lebanese singer, actress, and director. She sings in Arabic, English and French. Tawaji interprets different music styles such as Oriental music, pop music, jazz, funk, and opera, as well as being a coloratura soprano with a four octave vocal range.
Tawaji has admired Oussama Rahbani (producer and composer and son of Mansour Rahbani) from a very young age, and always dreamt of meeting and working with him.[1] That dream came true in January 2007 when she met Oussama and started a successful career alongside him.
Education
From 1990 and until 2005, Tawaji studied in Athenee de Beyrouth School, and got her French Baccalaureate in French literature.
From 2002 until 2005, she took singing lessons and solfeggio at École De Musique Ghassan Yammine. Then she went to Saint Joseph University of Beirut, IESAV, and majored in audio-visual and cinematographic studies, earning her B.A. in 2010.
She also took for many years private opera lessons with Galina Khaldeeva.
From 2007 and to the present day, she has been developing vocal techniques and interpretation with Lebanese producer and composer Oussama Rahbani. As well as taking vocal lessons with Lebanese singer and vocal coach Wadih Abi Raad.
From May 2010 and until July 2010, she took vocal lessons with Emmy Award winner Gwen Conley in New York. In that same period, she followed a three-month intensive acting workshop at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York.
Career
- Music videos
2008 – "متل الريح" "Metl el rih" – (directed by Joe Bou Eid)
(Composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Written by Mansour Rahbani for the musical play "عودة الفينيق" The Return of the Phoenix
2011 – "حلم" "Helm" – (directed by Hiba Tawaji)
(Produced, composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, taken from the album La Bidayi Wala Nihayi "لا بداية ولا نهاية"
2011 – "عالبال يا وطنّا" "Aal Bal Ya Watanna" – (directed by Hiba Tawaji)
(Produced, composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, taken from the musical play Don Quixote (by Marwan, Ghadi & Oussama Rahbani)
2011 – "ماشية وما بعرف لوين" "Machyi w ma baarif la weyn" – (directed by Marwan Rahbani)
(Produced, composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, taken from the stage performance in the musical play "Don Quixote" by Marwan, Ghadi & Oussama Rahbani.
2011 – "مين اللي بيختار" "Min elli byekhtar" – (directed by Marwan Rahbani)
(Produced, composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, taken from the stage performance in the musical play "Don Quixote" by Marwan, Ghadi & Oussama Rahbani.
2011 – "قلّي يا حبيبي قول" "Elli ya habibi oul" – (directed by Marwan Rahbani)
(Produced, composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, taken from the stage performance in the musical play "Don Quixote" by Marwan, Ghadi & Oussama Rahbani.
2011 – "لاموني كتير" "Lamouni Ktir" – (directed by Marwan Rahbani)
(Produced, composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, taken from the stage performance in the musical play "Don Quixote" by Marwan, Ghadi & Oussama Rahbani.
2012 – "كاسك يا مديني" "Kasik Ya Madini" – (directed by Marwan Rahbani)
(Produced, composed and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani)
Lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, taken from the stage performance in the musical play "Don Quixote" by Marwan, Ghadi & Oussama Rahbani.
- Albums
- 2009 – Sayf 840 "صيف 840" (Highlights and the complete version) by Mansour Rahbani
- 2011 – La Bidayi Wala Nihayi "لا بداية ولا نهاية", (Oussama Rahbani feat. Hiba Tawaji)
| Track Name | Music | Lyrics | Arranged/Orchestrated/Adapted/Conducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| La bidayi wala nihayi - (لا بداية ولا نهاية) - ("The Windmills of Your Mind") | Michel Legrand | Mansour Rahbani | Adapted, orchestrated and conducted by Oussama Rahbani |
| Herban - (هربان) - ("Running away") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged by Oussama Rahbani |
| La tkelli innak mechtakli - (لا تقلّي إنك مشتقلي) - ("Don't tell me that you miss me") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani |
| Zat ellafti - (ذات اللفتة) - ("Same glimpse") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani |
| Machyi w ma baaref la weyn - (ماشية وما بعرف لوين) - ("Salvador Dalí") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani |
| Kell shabi fallou - (كل صحابي فلّو) - ("All my friends are gone") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani |
| Tango el horriyyi - (تانغو الحرية) - ("Libertango") | Ástor Piazzolla | Ghadi Rahbani | Adapted, orchestrated and conducted by Oussama Rahbani |
| Helm - (حلم) - ("Dream") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani |
| Khayfi koul - (خايفة قول) - ("Afraid to say") | Oussama & Jad Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged by Oussama Rahbani & Jad Rahbani |
| Bel omr elli baki - (بالعمر اللي باقي) - ("What are you doing the rest of your life") | Michel Legrand | Mansour Rahbani | Adapted, orchestrated and conducted by Oussama Rahbani |
| Almourtazaka - (المرتزقة) - ("Mercenaries") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani |
| Ftahli el bab (فتحلي الباب) - ("Let me in") | Oussama Rahbani | Ghadi Rahbani | Arranged and orchestrated by Oussama Rahbani |
- 2011 – Don Quixote ( by Marwan, Ghadi & Oussama Rahbani)
| Introduction of the Album Don Quixote |
|---|
Music Composed, orchestrated and produced by Oussama Rahbani, lyrics by Ghadi Rahbani, directed by Marwan Rahbani, play produced by Byblos International Festival and Oussama Rahbani, album produced by 'Oussama Rahbani Cast: Hiba Tawaji (Dulcinea – Dima), Elie Khayat (Don Quixote), Gilbert Jalkh (Samho El Ghoul), Nader Khoury (Farmer), Simon Obeid (The Priest), Wadih Abi Raad (Chancellors – Ambassadors – Shamshoum) and choir. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Georges Merheb Studio Sound engineer: Georges Merheb Artistic consultant" Fouad Khoury Set and costume designer: Agnes Treplin Choreography: Dolly Sfeir and Pascale Sayegh Zgheib Animation and graphic design: Adaimy Studios Photos by Wael Hamza, Jana Younes Starring Rafic Ali Ahmad, Hiba Tawaji, Paul Sleiman, Tony Balaban, Nazih Youssef, Assad Haddad, Maya Yammine, Toni Issa, Rita Hayek, Boutros Hanna. |
Tracklist
- Ouverture المقدمة الأولى
- Aalbal ya watannaعالبال يا وطنّا
- Min a’shik gharib من عاشق غريب
- Yemkin sarli aktar men daher يمكن صرلي أكتر من دهر
- Rayhin رايحين
- Lamouni ktir لاموني كتير
- Dehket lhkoul ضحكت الحقول
- Ghannou leddar غنّو للدار
- Min li byekhtar مين اللي بيختار
- Mouhakamat al maktaba محاكمة المكتبة
- Hata el ketob hara’touha حتى الكتب حرقتوها
- Elli ya habibi قلي يا حبيبي
- Moujtamaana bi khatar مجتمعنا بخطر
- Kasik ya madini كاسك يا مدينة
- Ahla be Don Assad أهلا بالدون أسعد
- Ahmar Azrak أحمر أزرق
- La valse - Douri ya tawahin الفالس – دوري يا طواحين
- Machiyeh wma ba’ref la weyn ماشية ما بعرف لوين
- Aazameh w fakhameh عظمة وفخامة
- Samho hakem al jazireh سمحو حاكم الجزيرة
- Awlak leych mlahekni قولك ليش ملاحقني
- Jayi tezraa ahlamجايي تزرع أحلام
- Jano al tawahin / Watan al hassassine جنو الطواحين – وطن الحساسين
- Ouverture المقدمة الثانية
- Musicals
- 2008 – Byblos International Festival: "عودة الفينيق" The Return of the Phoenix (by Oussama Rahbani),[2]
- 2008 – Dubai: "عودة الفينيق" The Return of the Phoenix (by Oussama Rahbani)
- 2008 – 2009 – Casino du Liban: "عودة الفينيق" The Return of the Phoenix (by Oussama Rahbani)
- 2009 – Byblos International Festival: "صيف 840" Summer 840 (by Mansour Rahbani)[3]
- 2009 -2010 Casino du Liban: "صيف 840" Summer 840 (by Mansour Rahbani)
- 2010 – Qatar: "ملوك الطوائف" Moulouk Al Tawaef
- 2011 – Byblos International Festival: Don Quixote (by Marwan, Ghadi and Oussama Rahbani)[4]
- Concerts
- March 2011 – Abu Dhabi Festival: "An evening with Oussama Rahbani", Zaha Hadid Pavilion, Oussama Rahbani feat. Hiba Tawaji & Wadih Abi Raad.[5]
- August 2011 – Ehdeniyat festival: "Oussama Rahbani feat. Hiba Tawaji & Wadih Abi Raad" [6]
- November 2011 – Palais des congrès Dbayyeh – Lebanon: "La bidayi wala nihayi", "Oussama Rahbani feat. Hiba Tawaji & Wadih Abi Raad" [7]
- February 2012 – Saint Joseph Church Monot – Lebanon: "Synergy" a symphonic piece by Oussama Rahbani. Conducted by Maestro Michel Khairallah, performed by The Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, Hiba Tawaji (Soprano) & the NDU Choir.[8]
Awards
- November 2011 – BIAF – Beirut International Award Festival in Pavillon Royal/Biel – Beirut[9]