Fatma Said: Dance

Pulsating rhythms are at the heart of Fatma Said’s dance-themed playlist. “Dance was the main theme for my album Kaleidoscope,” explains the soprano, “so this playlist is an extension to it, including personal favourites that I like to dance to.” One of those favourites is Piazzolla’s Oblivion. “It’s a tango, but it’s a very free one rather than a traditional rhythmic tango,” Said explains. “‘Oblivion’ means ‘forgottenness’—if you close your eyes, the melody has the power to take you to long-forgotten places and times.” Striking a more uptempo note is “Shall We Dance” from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I, coming at the point in the musical when the tutor of the king’s children teaches him how to dance. An extract from Bizet’s Carmen then brings a touch of sensuality, the “Habanera” sung by the legendary Maria Callas. “It’s full of seduction,” says Said. “It explains Carmen’s view of love and expresses a warning to those she falls for.” Said also showcases her own breathtaking performances, including “Je veux vivre”, an aria in lilting waltz-time from Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. “Juliette has this naivety and passion for life, and is telling us how she wants to live life fully every moment, like in a dream.”