Event Artists

Marie Joe Abi Nassif, Mezzo-soprano
Lebanese Orchestra
Toufic Maatouk, Conductor

Marie-Joe Abi-Nassif has taken an unbeaten path — her journey is one of passion between the contrasting worlds of opera and law.

Marie-Joe is a professional operatic mezzo-soprano and has performed on world-renowned stages such as Carnegie Hall (New York), Salle Cortot (Paris) and the Varna State Opera House (Bulgaria). She is also a Partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions practice group of the international law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York. She previously practiced at Latham & Watkins LLP and also served as a lecturer at the University of Paris II Pantheon-Assas.

She is a graduate of Columbia Law School from which she received an LL.M. (Master of Laws) in 2015. She holds a master’s degree in law from the University of Pantheon-Assas and an LL.B. in law from Saint Joseph University. She has also pursued courses in opera performance, solfeggio, music theory, and musicianship at the Juilliard School and pursued piano studies at the Lebanese Higher National Conservatory of Music. Determined to take a leap in her musical education, she sought counsel in 2015 from the legendary soprano Virginia Zeani. Upon hearing her voice, Zeani urged her to pursue a career in opera and took her under her wing. Undeterred by her around-the-clock schedule as a lawyer, Marie-Joe seized on this unique opportunity. She devotedly traveled to Florida, where Zeani resides, to study roles and vocal technique.

While under the mentorship of Zeani, Marie-Joe was trained by prominent artists and coaches, including Thomas Bagwell (Royal Danish Opera), Gianluca Marcianò (Serbian National Theatre), Deborah Birnbaum (Metropolitan Opera), Francesca Pedaci (Bologna Conservatory) and Nicoleta Conti.

Her repertoire includes: Carmen (Carmen), Dorabella (Così fan Tutte), Sesto (La Clemenza di Tito), Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Charlotte (Werther), Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Mignon (Mignon), Stephano (Roméo et Juliette) and Erika (Vanessa).

In December 2016, Marie-Joe made her Carnegie Hall debut in a solo recital, accompanied by Thomas Bagwell. She was subsequently invited, upon the recommendation of the Presidency of the French Republic, to perform during the annual celebration of France’s national day. In November 2018, Marie-Joe performed a solo recital at the Salle Cortot in Paris. She also participated in concerts at the Varna State Opera (Bulgaria) and the Bulgarian National Radio under the baton of Nicoletta Conti. She was invited to the Lebanese Presidential Palace to perform with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra.

She later performed the role of Zelatrice in Puccini’s Suor Angelica with the New York Lyric Opera. Marie-Joe was selected by UNESCO to perform in a concert honoring the late Charles Aznavour at the UNESCO Palace (Paris). She was also selected to perform the role of Dorothée in Cendrillon at the Miami Music Festival and the roles of Ježibaba in Rusalka and Cecilia March in Little Women at the Trentino Music Festival. And recently, she performed a solo recital at the Saint-Joseph Church in Beirut accompanied by Denis Dubois of the Opéra National de Paris.