If the words don’t move you sufficiently when singer Shani Oshri gets to grips with the texts…The depth of the pain will surely hit home.
hani Oshri is a multidisciplinary soprano specializing in neo-traditional classical and Middle Eastern music.
Born in 1993 in Netanya, she grew up in two contrasting homes: a secular Persian household and an ultra-Orthodox Yemeni one. From a young age, she navigated opposing worlds, drawing inspiration from two vastly different cultures. As a teenager, her mother’s home was filled with pop-punk posters, while at her father’s house, she listened to Jewish poetry sung in traditional Yemeni biblical tones.
Born in 1993 in Netanya, she grew up in two contrasting homes: a secular Persian household and an ultra-Orthodox Yemeni one. From a young age, she navigated opposing worlds, drawing inspiration from two vastly different cultures. As a teenager, her mother’s home was filled with pop-punk posters, while at her father’s house, she listened to Jewish poetry sung in traditional Yemeni biblical tones.
This cultural tension profoundly shaped Oshri’s career, mirroring the dynamic between religious and secular life and between classical opera and sacred Eastern poetry. During the week, she studied harmony and solfège at the conservatory, while on Shabbat, she joined women in communal readings of Psalms.
After graduating with honors from the Academy of Music, Oshri appeared destined for a classical opera career. However, her body urged her toward self-discovery and exploring her Middle Eastern roots.
In Jewish Piyyutim (Jewish liturgical poems), Oshri’s voice felt natural and free, as if channeling an ancient Yemeni grandmother. Her journey gained momentum when she contacted Gila Bashari, a leading figure in Yemeni Jewish music, to study this tradition. What began as fear transformed into liberation, allowing her to embrace imperfection and develop her unique style.
Oshri has consistently represented minorities and brought them to center stage. At the classical music academy, she understood that success required distancing herself from her Middle Eastern roots.
The further she moved from her heritage, the more recognition she received. However, this created inner conflict. While excelling in lead operatic roles like Julius Caesar, The Marriage of Figaro, and The Magic Flute, she felt increasingly inauthentic, leading to the literal loss of her voice. This identity crisis became a turning point, inspiring her to create a language where her identities could coexist.
Artistic Achievements and Academic Credentials
Today, Oshri seamlessly transitions between diverse stages and genres. At Carnegie Hall, she performs Mozart’s Queen of the Night aria, followed by a ballad about the Holocaust of Thessaloniki’s Jews. At the Yemenite Jewish Heritage Center, she sings Shabbat songs by Shabazi alongside Schubert’s classical song cycles.
While Oshri’s story is deeply personal, it transcends her own life. She embodies a living model of unity, bridging divides across cultures. Her multidisciplinary journey offers hope and inspiration to all who listen.
Debut Album and Original Premieres
2022, Oshri recorded her debut album with composer and guitarist Daniel Akiva, a Prime Minister’s Award recipient. The album features rare Ladino poems in modern arrangements, including pieces that had never been recorded before. She also premiered Shards of Memory by Naama Pearl-Zadok, a piece for soprano and an East-West orchestra that reflects the life of a Jewish Yemeni woman and draws on traditional Yemeni melodies.
Operatic Roles and Oratorio Performances
Oshri starred in the Israeli premiere of Goldfaden’s Yiddish operetta Bar Kochva, performed in theaters nationwide. Her operatic repertoire includes roles such as Kapisa in Orpheus (Talman), Ash in The Boy and the Spells (Ravel), Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), Cleopatra in Julius Caesar in Egypt (Handel), and Monica in The Medium (Menotti).
As a soloist, she has performed in oratorios such as Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42 and Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem and Great Mass in C Minor, Schubert’s Mass in G Major, Vivaldi’s Magnificat and Gloria, and Pergolesi’s Magnificat and Stabat Mater.
Education and Recognitions
Oshri began her journey in Vita Gurevich’s class, and now holds a bachelor’s degree from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University where she studied with Efrat Ben Nun.
She has received scholarships from the Ronan Foundation, Rabinowitz Foundation, and the Municipality of Netanya for encouraging young artists, as well as an excellent scholarship from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. In November 2022, she won the “Diamond Rose” award at the international opera competition at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels.
Global Festivals and Prestigious Performances
She has participated in global festivals, including Music for Peace in Dresden, the International Guitar Festival, the Israeli Music Festival, the Abu Ghosh Festival, and the Acre Music Festival. She has also performed at The Charter’s Global Gala in the presence of the Dalai Lama.
Shani Oshri's Showreel
This cultural tension profoundly shaped Oshri’s career, mirroring the dynamic between religious and secular life and between classical opera and sacred Middle Eastern poetry. During the week, she studied harmony and solfège at the conservatory, while on Shabbat, she joined women in communal readings of Psalms.
