Zahid Siddiqui is a second year music student at the University of Manchester. He grew up in Dubai and began singing lessons at the age of 7, but he has been singing for as long as he can remember. Although he initially intended to pursue a career in musical theatre, his interest in opera started after he went to see Verdi’s La Traviata at the Royal Opera House and he has dreamed of singing at Covent Garden ever since.
Whilst living in Dubai, Zahid won the vocal prize at Young Musician of the Gulf in both 2015 and 2016. He is currently under tuition with Andrew Heggie, and has tried to be involved in as much performing as possible, whether it be solo or ensemble, throughout his time at the University. He sings tenor in the University’s Chamber Choirs - Ad Solem and The Cosmo Singers - as well as in Kantos Chamber Choir and Manchester Renaissance Ensemble. Most recently, Zahid has been accepted on to The Sixteen’s Young Artists Programme Genesis Sixteen for 2018/19. Last year, he sang the role of Satyavan in Holst’s Sāvitri, as well as Rinuccio in The Opera Shack's abridged version of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. He recently played the Sorceress/Spirit in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and El Remendado in Bizet's Carmen. Zahid has been selected as one of the University’s Concerto Soloists for two years running. Zahid aspires to become an opera singer and wishes to undergo further training once he has completed his undergraduate study at the University.
