Eva Maria,
the Artist
My passion for the arts is most deeply expressed through singing. From 2008 until my move to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2017, I was a mezzo-soprano with the Antonine University Choir in Lebanon, performing a wide repertoire from oriental church music to operas and major choral works. Highlights included Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Messa da Requiem (Verdi), and international tours with concerts at Carnegie Hall, San Pietro–Vatican, Rome, Naples, and Paris. Whenever I return to Lebanon, I rejoin the choir, most memorably at the Baalbeck International Festival in 2018 for Rossini’s Stabat Mater.
When I first arrived in Aotearoa, I performed under the stage name Rachidé, honouring my parents and heritage. In that period, I represented Lebanon at public and sporting events, including singing the national anthem at the Rugby League World Cup (2017), the Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference in Sydney (2018), and the FIBA World Cup Asia Qualifier in Rotorua (2018). I also performed in the development season of America Rex (written by Tom Minter, directed by Dione Joseph) and opened exhibitions for artist Jimmy James Kouratoras.
My main singing languages are: Lebanese Arabic, Arabic, French, English, Spanish, Italian, Latin.
Click here to view my 2019 Showreel
Since then, I have continued to expand my artistic practice under my own name. I performed in Asra at Auckland Fringe 2024 under the direction of Dr. Rand Hazou, and have taken part in cultural concerts and community fundraisers, using music as a bridge for connection and storytelling. I also remain active in Auckland’s Lebanese and Arab communities, performing traditional songs at gatherings and events.
My singing languages include Lebanese Arabic, Arabic, French, English, Spanish, Italian, and Latin; a palette that reflects the diverse influences of my journey.
Today, I carry both the discipline of classical training and the vitality of community-based performance, weaving them into an ongoing practice that is as much about voice as it is about belonging.
In August 2018, I took part in the development season of America Rex, written by Tom Minter and directed by Dione Joseph.
The play brought together an extraordinary diverse cast of professional New Zealand actors, staged alongside Jimmy James Kouratoras’ powerful artworks.
Across three sold-out nights at TAPAC, I performed music rooted in my Lebanese heritage, interwoven with the play’s contemporary storytelling. America Rex was a unique fusion of theatre, visual art, and live music; and a milestone in my New Zealand artistic journey.
I am also a signed talent for commercials and other screen parts with Vanity Walk Modelling & Talent Agency.