An artist committed to the project
Born in Geneva to a Syrian father from Aleppo and a Swiss mother, Soumaya Hallak studied voice in Geneva, Venice, Brussels, Copenhagen and Lausanne. Her training included the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and the Copenhagen Opera Studio, and in 2020 she completed a soloist Master’s degree with high distinction at HEMU Lausanne.
Her career as a dramatic soprano has taken her to stages and operatic projects across Europe. She has worked with many artists, conductors and teachers while also developing creations that bring together music, theatre and learning.
In 2018, she created 1,2,3 HOPE, LOVE, LIFE for PEACE for Syrian children affected by war and was named a Woman of Peace at the Belgian Senate that same year. In 2023, the project established a centre in Aleppo, where a local team develops activities for children, young people and women.
Her recent artistic projects include Duo VO’CELLO, Duo Syrham, an appearance at the Bayreuth Wagner Festival in summer 2025 and the 2026 creation Les Mains Noires.
More information at soumayahallak.com ↗
Listen to Soumaya introduce 1,2,3 HOPE
Read the transcript
My name is Soumaya Hallak. My father is Syrian, from Aleppo, and my mother is Swiss, from Geneva, where I was born. During the war in Syria, I felt deeply compelled to help through my voice and through a project that came naturally to me: 1,2,3 HOPE, LOVE, LIFE for PEACE. I wanted to share the opportunity I had to study music and movement, to experience freedom, and to share that freedom with Syrian children, their mothers and their whole families.
