Ratiba El-Hefny facts for kids

Ratiba Hefny (Arabic: رتيبة الحفني) was an amazing Egyptian opera singer. She was born on December 2, 1931, and passed away on September 16, 2013. She sang in over 500 opera shows around the world!

Ratiba Hefny was also the head of the Higher Institute of Arabic Music in Cairo. Later, she became the director of the famous Cairo Opera House in 1988.

She grew up in a very musical family. Her father, Mahmoud El Hefny, wrote more than 45 books about music. Her grandmother was also a German opera singer. Ratiba started playing the piano when she was just five years old.

You might be surprised to know that she also gave her singing voice to Snow White! She voiced the character in Disney's 1975 Arabic version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Her Amazing Education

Ratiba Hefny studied music for many years. She earned several important degrees:

• She received a diploma from the Higher Institute for Music Teachers in 1950. This school is now called the College of Music Education.
• From 1954 to 1968, she did special studies in folklore at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
• In 1955, she earned a diploma in teaching and leading choirs. This was from the Institute of Operatic Singing in Kreiner, Germany.
• Also in 1955, she got the highest qualification in opera singing. This was from the Higher School of Music in Munich, Germany. It was like getting a doctorate degree in Egypt.

Her Career Highlights

Ratiba Hefny had a very busy and important career. She held many leadership roles:

• In 1950, she started working as a lecturer at the Graduate Institute for Music Teachers.
• She helped set up the first Institute of Arabic Music for girls in 1951. She was assigned as its first leader.
• In 1962, she became the Dean of the Higher Institute of Arabic Music. She held this important job for 29 years!
• She became the President of the House of Music and Artistic Opera in 1980.
• From 1988 to 1990, she was the President of the National Cultural Center. This is where the Cairo Opera House is located.
• She was also a full-time professor at the Academy of Arts.
• She worked as a special advisor for the Cairo Opera House.
• Ratiba Hefny was the President of The Arab Society for Music.
• She helped supervise the Center for Talent Development at the Cairo Opera House.

What She Achieved

Ratiba Hefny did many great things for music in Egypt and beyond:

• In 1961, she started the very first children's choir in Egypt.
• She helped create the Umm Kulthum Ensemble for Arabic Music.
• She also started an ensemble for religious songs.
• She founded the National Arab Music Ensemble.
• She created the Cairo Opera Children's Choir.
• For 13 years, she helped establish the Higher Institute of Musical Art in Kuwait.

Her Writings and Programs

Ratiba Hefny wrote many books and worked on several music programs:

• She wrote "The Solfege" in Kuwait in 1977.
• She wrote a book about Mohammed Abdel Wahab in Cairo in 1991.
• She also created a "Soft Music Encyclopedia for Children" (50 parts) in 1992.
• She wrote about Mohamed El Qasabgi.
• From 1957 to 1960, she supervised music for the Egyptian radio.
• She prepared and hosted a global music TV program starting in 1960.
• She created a series of 30 music education programs for children called "The Lost Tune."
• She hosted a music program on Egyptian television for 22 years.
• She performed in many opera roles in Egypt and in Europe and America.
• She prepared special musical tributes for famous musicians like Mohamed El Qasabgi, Sayed Darwish, and Sayed Mekawy.

Awards and Honors

Ratiba Hefny received special recognition for her work:

• In 2004, she won the Egypt State Incentive Prize in Arts and Letters. This was from the Supreme Council of Culture.
• On December 2, 2017, Google honored her with a special Doodle for her 86th birthday. This Doodle was shown in many countries across the Arab World.

See also

• Cairo Opera House