Shadi Torbey


Shadi Torbey is a Belgian bass opera singer and game designer.
Born in Siegburg, Germany, to a Lebanese family, he studied Romance literature and trained in opera at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel. He has performed widely in Belgium and abroad, appearing in operas by composers such as Verdi, Mozart, Puccini and Rossini, and was a prizewinner at international competitions including the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Since 2010, Torbey has also designed and published board games, most notably the Oniverse series, beginning with Onirim. His games have been released internationally, translated into several languages, and published by companies including Z-Man Games. In 2022, he founded his own publishing house, inPatience, which continues to release both his works and those of other designers.

Early life and education

Shadi Torbey was born in Siegburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in 1976. He is of Lebanese descent. He studied at the Athénée royal d'Uccle in secondary school. He notably took French classes with Paul Pettiaux.

Career

As an opera singer

A graduate in Romance literature and cultural management, Torbey obtained his professional singing diplomas at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in the class of Ludovic de San. He also perfected his skills at the Opera-Studio of Royal Theatre of La Monnaie and with José van Dam at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.
Winner of the 1999 Vocation Prize at the Verviers International Singing Competition, he won a Golden Voice at the 39th Tournament in 2001 in France. In 2004, he won third prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
He has given recitals on numerous stages, notably in Belgium and France. In opera, he has played roles including Sparafucile, Collatinus, Masetto and Leporello, Abner, Caronte, Eremit, Colline and Lord Sidney/Don Prudenzio.
He has worked under internationally renowned conductors and directors including William Christie, Patrick Davin, Eduardo López Banzo, Paul McCreesh, Philip Pickett, Marcello Viotti, Stéphane Braunschweig, Robert Carsen, Gérard Corbiau,.
Torbey appeared in a student production, after which in 2000 he got his first role in a professional production: La Traviata.
A 2006 article from Fanfare was critical of a recording by Torbey, saying that he was not singing on pitch, and that the very low notes were out of his range.
Torbey was noted in 2013 for performing with pianist Kristina Raczynska, where his displayed mastery of Italian, German, and French.
Torney also worked as a singing teacher by 2018 between performing, and was fluent in French, English, Italian, German, and Arabic.

As a game designer

Since 2010, Torbey has published tabletop games for solo or cooperative play. His first game was Onirim, originally published by Z-Man Games, part of the "Oniverse" series. Eight entries have been released, latest being Cyberion. All games were illustrated by French artist Élise Plessis.
In 2022, he launched the publisher inPatience, focused on solo games, publishing his Oniverse games and others such as R.A.V.E.L. by Daniel McKinley or Feigard by Reiner Knizia.
In 2024, inPatience Games republished his game Urbion.

Personal life

Torbey lives in Brussels, Belgium, with his wife and two daughters.

Repertoire

RoleOperaComposer
SparafucileRigolettoGiuseppe Verdi
CollatinusThe Rape of LucretiaBenjamin Britten
Masetto and LeporelloDon GiovanniWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
AbnerAthaliaGeorge Frideric Handel
CaronteL'OrfeoClaudio Monteverdi
EremitDer FreischützCarl Maria von Weber
CollineLa BohèmeGiacomo Puccini
Lord Sidney and Don PrudenzioIl viaggio a ReimsGioachino Rossini
Nick ShadowThe Rake's ProgressIgor Stravinsky

Ludography

Oniverse series

  • Onirim
  • Urbion
  • Castellion
  • Sylvion
  • Nautillion
  • Aerion
  • Stellarion
  • Cyberion
  • ''Ultimion''