The College of Music and Performing Arts was honoured to host renowned tenor and scholar Dr Raouf Zaidan for a three-day residency from 13–15 January 2026. His visit featured rehearsals, workshops, masterclasses, and seminars with students from Acting, Music Theatre, and the MFA programme.
Highlights included a Western opera in Arabic seminar, open singing masterclasses, Music Theatre and Acting workshops, and specialised coaching across multiple year groups. Dr Zaidan also met with faculty, joined campus tours, and connected with alumni at social events.
Dr Raouf Zaidan is an Egyptian American opera baritone, actor, and educator. He began his musical training as a pianist before pursuing vocal studies in London and the United States. A member of the Cairo Opera Company for 25 years, he performed over 80 roles across Egypt, the Middle East, Europe, and the USA. He was a founding member of the Mozart in Arabic project, led by Dr Aly Sadek, dedicated to the translation and performance of Mozart’s operas in Arabic. He is also active as a stage actor with the Boulder Hypothetical Theatre Company. Now based in Colorado, Dr Zaidan teaches piano and singing at the Centre for Musical Arts in Lafayette.
His expertise in Western classical voice and Arabic opera provided students with rare, high-level artistic mentorship and enriched the department’s cross-cultural vocal training initiatives.
