Countertenor

Since he was a little boy, Matteo has always been attracted by things that weren't interesting for other boys of his age: theatre, drama, old black and white movies, old books of his grandparent's library, old discs of old Egyptian singers and divas, and classical music and opera. Seeing this attraction to arts, his parents always backed him up. He was taught to play piano during years, and started imitating voices he was hearing: Carmen from Bizet, Violetta from La Traviata (Verdi), Leonora from La Forza del destino (Verdi), Il Barbier di Siviglia (Rossini), slept listening to Magnificat (Bach) and woke up on the Requiem (Mozart) and the Gloria (Vivaldi).

When he turned 17, he was singing with this same child voice, this same thin voice who was becoming more and more deep, round, mature. He didn't know it but he became a countertenor, a rare male voice, a heritage from the castrati voices from the 17th century in Italy!

Due to luck, coincidences, and fate, Matteo found himself at age 18 signing a huge contract with Universal Music France and moved there to learn music, to become an opera singer, to travel and sing on the biggest stages of Europe.

He released his first album "Matteo Haute-Contre", a "Thank You" album to all the inspirations who led him to fulfill his destiny: Bach, Bellini, Vivaldi, Purcell, Verdi...

After a big tour in Europe, singing for the Communauté Européene de Bruxelles, to the Queen of Belgium, to Vienna, Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Paris, London, Verona...and Lebanon (Festival de Beiteddine), and several masterclasses with Andreas Scholl, Robert Expert, Fabrice di Falco, Matteo entered the Ecole Normale Superieure de Musique in the class of Agnes Mellon, soprano of Les Arts Florissants (William Christie) and wife of Dominique Visse, famous french countertenor, in the department of the vocal perfection: baroque era and composers.

In September 2011, Matteo integrated the Choeur de l'Orchestre de Paris (Solo Alto-countertenor) and is scheduled to perform in Salle Pleyel all year long: Gloria (Poulenc), Daphnis et Chloé (Ravel), Peer Gynt (Grieg) and solo masterpieces of oratorios: Semele (Haendel), Juditha Triumphans (Vivaldi) under the direction of the composers: Daniel Baremboim, Paavo Jarvi, James Colon, Ricardo Chailly.

In Christmas, he did the final concerts in two sacred festivals, the Festival of Saint-Chapelle in Paris and the Beirut Chants Festival of Sacred music.

Listen to the Music http://www.youtube.com/user/matteoelkhodr

In French - Matteo EL KHODR - contre-ténor

Né a Beyrouth, il suit un enseignement de piano depuis son plus jeune age pour enchainer en autodidacte le chant lyrique. En 2004 il s'installe a Paris aprés avoir signé un contrat d'exclusivité avec la maison de disque Universal Music France pour sortir son album et se consacrer au chant lyrique.

Entre Fabrice di Falco, Thierry Grégoire, Jasmine Roy, il suit des masterclasses (Inva Mula, Jeanine Reiss, Andreas Scholl, Robert Expert et la Chaise Dieu) et entame une tournée europeenne qui commence par le siege de la Communauté Europeenne a Bruxelles, l'IMA a Paris, Covent Garden Hall a Londres, Verone, Vienne, Saint Petersbourg et Moscou pour finir
a Beyrouth ou il consacre au moins un concert par an.

En 2008, Le Festival de Beiteddine lui offre sa scene.

En 2010, il integre l'Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris sous l'egide d'Agnes Mellon, soprano des Arts Florissants et grande experte en style baroque et effectue un perfectionement baroque et est diplomé avec mention pour le titre de concertiste.

En 2011, il interprete le role de Mopsa dans une "Fairy Queen" de Purcell a Bale en Suisse sous une production signée Schola Cantorum Basilensis puis enchaine avec le role-titre d'Orphée dans "Orphée et Eurydice" de Gluck a Metz et un récital Salle Cortot a Paris, Athénes, Geneve (Victoria Hall).

En Septembre 2011, Matteo integre le Choeur de l'Orchestre de Paris et devient résident a La Salle Pleyel en tant qu'alto 1 et soliste alto et chante sous la baguette des plus grands chefs (Riccardo Chailly, Paavo Jarvi, James Conlon...) et touche a un repertoire different des repertoires imposés aux contre-ténors: Stabat Mater et Gloria de Poulenc, Peer Gynt de Grieg,

Daphnis et Chloé de Ravel, les Nocturnes de Debussy et prochainement, une 9eme Symphonie de Beethoven au Chateau de Versailles en Juillet.

En Decembre 2011 il fait la cloture de deux festivals sacrés: Le Festival Sacré de la Sainte-Chapelle a Paris et pour la premiere fois, le Beirut Chants puis est invité a chanter au Gasteig a Munich en 2012.

Matteo se produit en soliste se consacrant essentiellement aux oeuvres baroques (Haendel, Vivaldi, Broschi, Caldara, Caccini, Pergolesi, Scarlatti, Vinci, Rameau, M.A Charpentier, J.S Bach, J.C Bach...).

Ecouter la Musique http://www.youtube.com/user/matteoelkhodr