Shadi Torbey

Shadi Torbey (born 1976) 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.

Career As an opera singer A graduate in Romance literature and cultural management, Torbey obtained his professional singing diplomas (concert and opera) 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 (melody category) 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 (Rigoletto), Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia), Masetto and Leporello (Don Giovanni), Abner (Athalia), Caronte (L'Orfeo), Eremit (Der Freischütz), Colline (La Bohème) and Lord Sidney/Don Prudenzio (Il viaggio a Reims).

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 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.

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.

Urbion (2012, 2nd edition 2024) Castellion (2015) Sylvion (2015) Nautillion (2016) Aerion (2019) Stellarion (2022) Cyberion (2023) Ultimion (TBA)