Shai Terry: An Israeli opera singer in Germany | Portrait

Shai Terry has been a singer for as long as she can remember. As a young child she used to perform for her family after dinner, when she was 13 she took her first singing class, and now – at age 30 – she performs on international stages as a mezzo-soprano.

Born and raised in Israel, Terry moved to Germany to attend a master’s programme in Voice Studies, with a focus on opera, in 2018. It was in 2017, while attending a prestigious master class in Jerusalem, that she was discovered by Professor Claudia Eder of the Mainz School of Music, and was invited to pursue her studies there. The Anni Eisler Lehmann Foundation supported Shai Terry's studies with a scholarship.

Terry identifies first and foremost as a singer – but since moving to Germany she now sometimes adds the distinction that she is an Israeli singer. Here, her heritage has helped her create to artistic opportunities for herself – performing from her repertoire of Israeli folk songs for Jewish audiences, for instance – but an antisemitic attack in the country shortly before one of her synagogue concerts was a nerve-wracking experience for her.

Terry’s unique ability to perform both classic opera pieces – it’s her dream to sing the role of Carmen on a large stage one day – as well as the Hebrew folk songs of her childhood makes her a stand-out amongst singers. Find out more about this fascinating young musician in our new documentary in the series 'ARTISTS - In Their Own Words'. For this we met Shai Terry in the Atelier Christiane Schauder in Mainz.

At a glance:
(00:00) Intro
(00:25) Shai Terry on her childhood and musical roots
(01:15) Music excerpt: Shai Terry sings Ani Gitara/I Am A Guitar (This is the correct title, not the one in the video. Sorry!)
(01:39) Shai Terry on her voice training and why she moved to Germany
(03:52) Shai Terry on her family’s support and how she discovered opera singing
(04:37) Music excerpt: Shai Terry sings Colors of the Wind
(07:03) Shai Terry on her sense of identity
(07:48) Music excerpt: Shai Terry sings Shir Ha’ Noded
(08:12) Shai Terry on her experience of living in Germany
(08:48) Music excerpt: Shai Terry sings Ani Gitara/I Am A Guitar (This is the correct title, not the one in the video. Sorry!)
(09:05) Shai Terry on fear after the Halle synagogue shooting
(09:51) Music excerpt: Shai Terry sings Shir Ha’ Noded
(10:24) Shai Terry on her decision to sing both opera and traditional Hebrew songs
(11:47) Music excerpt: Shai Terry sings Habanera from Carmen
(12:44) Shai Terry on her passion for the opera Carmen
(13:50) Music excerpt: Shai Terry sings Habanera from Carmen

Report by Gero Schließ

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#Mezzosoprano #Opera #Carmen

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