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Gala El Hadidi was born in Cairo and studied Philosophy, English and Comparative Literature at the American University there before receiving a scholarship to attend the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart in summer 2005. Gala continued her vocal studies in Savonlinna and at Yale University and was a Young Artist at the Semperoper studio in Dresden 2010-2012. She has attended Master classes with Marilyn Horne, Tereza Berganza and Francesco Araiza. At the 2011 Stella Maris competition, Gala won two jury prizes: a test recording for Deutsche Grammophon and a guest engagement at Vienna State Opera. In 2010, she received the Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, New England Regionals. She received an engagement prize from the Gottlob Frick Society in the DEBUT 2012 competition.

She joined the Cairo Opera Company aged 18 and roles there include Orlofsky Die Fledermaus, High Priestess Aida and Suzuki Madama Butterfly. At Semperoper, as a principal artist, she has performed Rosina Il barbiere di Siviglia, Hänsel Hänsel und Gretel, Maddalena Rigoletto, 2nd and 3rd Lady Die Zauberflöte, Cherubino Le nozze di Figaro, Medoro Orlando and Mae Jones Street Scene.

Future plans at Semperoper include the title role Carmen.

Gala enjoys reading, cinema and sports.

Adieux de l'hôtesse Arabe – Bizet

Daughter of the Sultan - Gamal Abdel-Rahim

Mignon: Kennst du das Land? (Goethe-Lieder) – Wolf

La danza (Tarantella Napoletana), (Serate Musicali) - Rossini

Quand je vous aimerai?...L'amour est un oiseau (Carmen, Act I No 5) – Bizet

The famous Habañera is the song Carmen sings to the soldiers, outside the cigarette factory, who ask her when she will fall in love. She warns them that if she decides to fall in love, they’d better watch out! Bizet based his melody on a song by Iradier.

Mimì Pinson, la biondinetta (La bohème) – Leoncavallo

Leoncavallo wrote his version of Henry Murger’s Scènes de la vie de bohème at the same time as Puccini’s much more successful offering. This aria is sung by Musetta in the opening scene, a Christmas Eve party at Café Momus. She introduces her friend Mimì, a little blonde. She doesn’t have much, but she can turn the heads of men and conquer their hearts with a smile.

Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix (Samson et Dalila, Act II Sc iii) - Saint-Saëns

Dalila seduces Samson to discover the secret of his strength. She tells him that her heart awakens to the sound of his voice, and she longs for him to respond to her caresses, and intoxicate her with his love. In operatic performances, Samson joins Dalila at the end of the second verse to make it a duet.

Spiel auf deiner Geige das Lied von Leid und Lust (Venus in Seide) – Stolz

‘Venus in Silk’ is an operetta written by the Austrian composer and conductor Robert Stolz, first performed in 1932. The action opens at a carnival ball given by the beautiful widow, Princess Jadja, whose inheritance from her Hungarian prince husband is in dispute. She sings a nostalgic song from her Polish homeland – ‘Play on your violin the song of pain and pleasure’ – which unsurprisingly has a featured solo violin part.