Art & Culture

Everything You Need to Know About the Egyptian Soprano Sherine Ahmed Tarek

BYMeriem Belhiba

November 5, 2025

Until recently, few outside the theater world had heard of Sherine Ahmed Tarek.That all changed last week, the night she performed at the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo. With her crystal-clear soprano and effortless poise, she filled the vast halls of Giza with a sound that left the audience spellbound. Overnight, Sherine became a name on everyone’s lips, and simultaneously, a new emblem of Egyptian artistry reaching a global stage.

From the ports of Alexandria to the bright lights of Broadway, Tarek’s journey has been shaped by courage, discipline, and a quiet defiance of expectation. Here are five things to know about the Egyptian-American performer.

Sherine Ahmed Tarek made Broadway history

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In 2019, Tarek became the first Egyptian and Arab actress to lead a Broadway musical, taking on the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center Theater under Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher.

She began as an understudy, spending months mastering the part before stepping into the spotlight for the show’s U.S. national tour. Critics described her as “the Arab revelation of New York theater,” praising her rich vocals and commanding stage presence.

She carries both Alexandria and Maryland in her story

Born in Alexandria in 1993, she grew up between Egypt and Maryland, where her father owns a jewelry store and her American mother teaches English. This dual upbringing gave her a unique cultural sensitivity that now defines her performances. “It’s like living between two worlds that share the same emotional rhythm,” she once reflected.

She studied sociology before choosing the stage

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Before pursuing music full time, the soprano earned a degree in Sociology and Anthropology with a focus on Criminal Justice at Towson University. Yet her passion for art proved irresistible. She later trained in opera, acting, and dance at specialized conservatories, combining her academic curiosity with her creative instinct to craft a distinctive, emotionally intelligent style of performance.

She began her career on cruise ships

Long before she stepped onto Broadway, Tarek sang aboard cruise ships, performing hits by Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Tina Turner. She often describes those early years as her real training ground, where she learned how to captivate audiences and endure the demanding pace of live performance. The discipline she developed there still anchors her approach to the stage.

She became the voice of Egypt’s new era

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When she returned to Cairo for the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, it felt like a homecoming worthy of her story. Accompanied by the Cairo Opera Orchestra under maestro Nayer Nagy, she delivered a performance that blended operatic grandeur with deep national pride. Her image standing beneath the museum’s golden lights quickly spread across social media, hailed as “Egypt’s voice reborn.”

Everything You Need to Know About the Egyptian Soprano Sherine Ahmed Tarek

Sherine Ahmed Tarek made Broadway history

She carries both Alexandria and Maryland in her story

She studied sociology before choosing the stage

She began her career on cruise ships

She became the voice of Egypt’s new era

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Everything You Need to Know About the Egyptian Soprano Sherine Ahmed Tarek

Sherine Ahmed Tarek made Broadway history

She carries both Alexandria and Maryland in her story

She studied sociology before choosing the stage

She began her career on cruise ships

She became the voice of Egypt’s new era

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