Of Joyce El-Khoury’s recent role debut as Norma at The Acropolis, in Athens Greece, ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ magazine wrote: “…soprano Joyce El-Khoury, is the best and most convincing Norma I’ve seen in the last two decades. Fine stage presence, a voice with wonderful timbre and nuances, finesse in terms of dynamics, exquisite pianissimo – and remarkable technical mastery.”
Born in Lebanon and raised in Canada, soprano Joyce El-Khoury is one of the most captivating artists on the international opera scene. She has performed over 40 leading roles in prestigious opera houses around the world including Norma, Médée, Tosca, Amelia (Un ballo in maschera), Elisabetta (Don Carlo), Amelia (Simon Boccanegra), La traviata, Desdemona (Otello), Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, Elisabetta (Roberto Devereux), Imogene (Il Pirata), Carmen, Iphigénie en Tauride, Madama Butterfly, Suor Angelica, Rusalka and Tatyana (Eugene Onegin), among others. Joyce has collaborated with some the most prolific conductors in the world, such as Sir Anthony Pappano, Sir Mark Elder, Carlo Rizzi, the late Lorin Maazel and Riccardo Muti, with whom she debuted as Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera and in Verdi’s Requiem at Palermo’s Teatro Massimo for her Italian debut. She has appeared on the stages of The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opéra Comique, Teatro Real Madrid, Bayerische Staatsoper, Glyndebourne Festival, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Dutch National Opera, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Opéra National du Capitole de Toulouse, Welsh National Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Dallas Opera, ABAO Bilbao Opera, Finnish National Opera, Opéra de Montréal, New National Theatre Tokyo and has been heard in concert with the London, Chicago, Houston, Barcelona and Luzerner Symphony Orchestras, Orchestre de Paris, The Netherlands Radio Orchestra at the Het Concertgebow, Orchestra Sinfonia Nazionale della Rai, Prague Philharmonic, L’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, among others.
El-Khoury’s award winning discography includes Donizetti’s L’Ange de Nisida, Les Martyrs, and Belisario as well as Franz Liszt’s Sardanapalo. Her first solo disc, Écho, was nominated for a Juno Award. The recipient of the 2022 Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year from the Dallas Opera, Ms. El-Khoury’s recent career highlights include the title roles of Médée at the Opéra Comique in Paris, Carmen at Oper in Steinbruch as well as Bellini’s Norma at the Athens’ Herodes Atticus Theatre at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.
“In the final scene, the way she [El-Khoury] resolved the difficult dramatic transition between the madness of the cavatina & the sanity of the cabaletta was astonishing. She dressed the dreaminess of the cavatina, ‘Al dolce guidami’, with all its lyrical finery, dynamic prowess and vocal filigree to make it the highlight of the evening.”
-El País
El-Khoury’s highlighted symphonic appearances include Strauss’s Vier Letzte Lieder with the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester at the Grafenegg Festival, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Prague Philharmonic, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Münchner Philharmoniker, Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Orchestre de Paris, Verdi’s Requiem with the Teatre Massimo Palermo, Barcelona Symphony, and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal as well as opening the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra’s season in a gala concert performance.
Joyce continues to be a cultural advocate for Lebanon by championing Lebanese song repertoire in her recitals around the world, as well as giving many masterclasses and coachings for young Lebanese singers through her teaching initiative Lessons for Lebanon.
Updated: March 2025