Biography
Young soprano Dania El Zein graduated from the École Normale de Musique de Paris (D. Ottevaere) and the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP), where she studied with A. Buet, J. Cohen, A. Le Bozec, S. Manoff, G. Finzi, O. Reboul, V. Vittoz, K. Weiss… Her refined musical talent, keen attention to textual interpretation, and “bright and natural” approach to performance distinguish her in the operatic world.
Following an Erasmus program in Leipzig (R. Werner), she further honed her artistry through collaborations with distinguished artists such as J.V. Dam, S. Koch, K. Deshayes, F. Lott, R. Grist, I. Mula, Y. Arias, J. Dienst, Ph. Riga, and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, in addition to her work with the Opera Fuoco ensemble.
Dania also holds a master’s degree in pedagogy, with qualifications enabling her to teach voice (Paris, Lyon, Mâcon).
She has garnered several prizes from international competitions, (Froville, Mâcon, Toulouse), was a finalist (Enesco, Vivonne) and reached the semi-finals of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2018.
Her stage repertoire spans baroque to contemporary works, with performances in productions by J.C. Magloire, Les Folies Françoises, La Rêveuse, Amarillis, Le Capriccio Français, and Le Songe du Roi, as well as in works by composers such as Mulsant, Finzi, Pécou, and Argento. She has appeared at leading venues in France, including the Philharmonie de Paris, Radio France, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Opéra-Comique, Théâtre du Châtelet, and Salle Cortot, as well as internationally, performing in Germany, Italy, Belgium, China, Sweden, Croatia, Algeria, Sicily, and Spain.
Some of her notable roles include Lucy in Menotti’s The Telephone, Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and Romilda in Handel’s Serse at the Beijing Festival with Opera Fuoco. She also portrayed Goldelde in Rumshinsky’s The Golden Bride with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Silvia in Korngold’s Die Stumme Serenade at Ravel Hall (directed by D. Stern, with stage direction by O. Dhénin). Additionally, she performed as Rosita and Ernestine in Un Mari à la porte and Monsieur Choufleuri restera chez lui by Offenbach in performances in Monte Carlo and Italy.
Her versatility extends to chamber music, where she regularly collaborates with various ensembles, including Duo Arya (piano and voice), Duo Philomèle (guitar/theorbo and voice), and Trio Selenia (violin, voice, and piano) which she co-founded. She is also a member of the vocal ensemble Ensemble 44, which specializes in a cappella works ranging from Gregorian chant to contemporary music. Dania frequently engages in diverse and original projects, notably with Accentus, under the direction of Laurence Equilbey.
In her discography, Dania recorded Beethoven’s Folksongs for Warner, released in 2019.