Mayssa Karaa shined as a special guest of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli during his New Year's Eve performance at Emirates Palace. The Lebanese singer appeared during the second half of the gala performance, held in a purpose-built venue on the sprawling grounds of the Mandarin Oriental resort, for a four-song set including duets with Bocelli and solo work.
Karaa was then tasked to count down to the new year, which set off a fireworks display. Speaking to The National at the end of the show, she said she couldn't have started 2025 on a better note. "As an Arab woman standing on that stage, it was a powerful moment," she says. "I wished everyone a year filled with peace, love, and happiness before starting the countdown to the fireworks."
Preparations for Karaa's performance began earlier this week, an experience which had her rehearsing with Bocelli and his technical team. She explains that the onstage charm and serenity displayed by the opera star are also reflected backstage.
"What struck me most was the team's professionalism and kindness," she says. "You could feel he's surrounded by family – people who have been with him for a long time. This energy was contagious; we all felt like we'd known each other for ever. Andrea was present at rehearsals and attentive to all details. Despite his stature, he remains very involved in everything concerning the repertoire."
Karaa's performance began with a duet of Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love followed by Adagio from 18th-century baroque composer Albinoni. Up next was a joint rendition of The Prayer, where Karaa adapted her part (originally sung by Celine Dion in English and Italian in 1999) to Arabic.
"It was a significant moment as I believe it's the first time Andrea has sung with an artist in Arabic," she said. "I had adapted the lyrics previously, which they liked enough to add to the repertoire."
Karaa's section finished with another duet, this time of Bocelli favourite Canto della Terra. Her abiding memory of the evening will be the gentle displays of encouragement from him during the performance.
"It felt magical, and time flew by," she adds. "While it was an honour to perform with him, something felt familiar, as if I'd sung with him a million times before. He was incredibly kind, even encouraging me during the performance, saying 'beautiful' and 'great job'. It made everything extremely pleasant and smooth."
