This will be the year of with world-class musicians will help us jing Symphony Orchestra should work to By CHEN NAN Tosca — along with well-known Chi“When I heard myself singing in Italian. One of the most important by the early 20th century. LongLife,TheWhiteSnake,T heWest In 1956, FifteenStringsofCashby ernMansion, and TheKite. 100 concerts, and the mature.” become one of the best orchestras in the nese songs. opera, I was stunned,” he recalled. things they taught me is that opera the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe ran Kunqu Opera has been listed by busiest year in the Behind the ambitious new season of world,” Tan said. Dai Yuqiang is the country’s “The three tenors have their own “My classmates joked that it was a singing requires constant passion and to 46 performances in Beijing and was UNESCO among the Masterpieces orchestra’s history. the Beijing Symphony Orchestra is supThe 96-member orchestra has 10 most famous opera singer and gives distinctive singing styles. When they God-given gift.” propercontrolofthevoice,depending attended by leaders Mao Zedong and of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Apart from a concert port from the Beijing municipal governinternational musicians, recruited from around 200 concerts a year, at home cometogether,theirvoicesgotogether During that time, China’s Western on the roles’ personalities.” Zhou Enlai. The work was said to have Humanity since 2001. in London during the ment with a generous subsidy of 50 milGermany, France, Italy, Switzerland and and abroad. At 50, he looks just like harmoniously,” said Zhang Shurong, operatictrainingputlittleemphasison Among all of Dai’s shows he says salvaged Kunqu Opera.MU QIAN Olympics, the Beijing lion yuan ($7.85 million). The support is Russia. the photo on the cover of his debut director of China’sThreeTenorsconstyle and there were no vocal teachers one of the most memorable will

Kunqu Opera was suppressed durSymphony Orchestra will also be permainly driven by the new appreciation for And although the BSO has yet to visit solo recording released in 2004, with cert. “Opera in China is booming. to help singers understand the roles always be his appearance with Maria ing the “cultural revolution” (1966-76), forming at the Antalya Music Festival Western music as the country develops London, many in the United Kingdom smooth skin, pouty lips and curly hair. More original opera productions have and how to express emotions. Guleghina and Samuel Ramey in when all operas, except “revolutionary in Turkey and appear with the Kolner and parents become more eager to round have already heard them play. Asforhisvoice,itsoastonishedprotaken place during the past few years. But Dai taught himself Italian Puccini’s Toscaat Covent Garden. operas”, were banned. Philharmonie and Berliner Philharmonie off their children’s education. The orchestra recorded the Games ducer Tibor Rudas, the man behind China’sThreeTenorsrepresents the and recited the lyrics day and night “The boots and robe I wore were in Germany in September. China now has the world’s third largest anthem and national anthems for the the Three Tenors, that he quickly country’s best operatic talent.” because he was curious about what decades or even 100 years old. The On home ground, the orchestra has number of symphony orchestras, after Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, a project arranged Dai’s operatic debut in the Dai agrees and says he has expethe lyrics were about. The tenor said co-stars were all world-class operatic invited a cast of world-class musicians the United States and Germany, accordthat involved the recording of 212 works. United States. He even described Dai rienced for himself China’s passion that though he studied operatic singsingers.Youcanimaginehownervous 10. Acrobatic Performance: OrienalSpiit

Eschenbach and Daniel Barenboim. The Foundation. International Olympic Committee and its Luciano Pavarotti invited Dai to Hegrewupinasmalltown,Wen’an, entry-level. The turning point in his on the stage and listened to my voice, I National Acrobatic Troupe BSO has also invited celebrity soloists, The Association of Chinese Symphony member states and regions, were played his home in Pesaro, Italy, as his first in Hebei province, but never even saw operatic career was in 2001, when he became confident and relaxed.” and both Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang Orchestras under the foundation has at victory ceremonies in Beijing during and only Chinese student. Covent a piano until he was 18. His parents, met Tibor Rudas. His successful debut led him to 11. China’s Three Tenors: chosen the two songs because they represent “For me, the best music she played is still Another big challenge: There is no music They recognise the challenge of making “Compared with the world’s leading country. More than 20 were started in the at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. gious opera houses offered him roles. while they worked and this shaped know my voice better and become a but Dai was keen to return to his roots NessunDorma,AuldLangSyne our style and let us sing about our country,” the Yellow River Piano Concerto,” said Wang available for the modern instrument to original music rather than remixing old red orchestras, we are still young,” the orcheslast decade. The BSO will also be in London during In 2011, Dai, together with two their son’s early interest in singing. professional operatic singer,” he said. in China. Sung by Dai Yuqiang Warren Mok Wei Song said Wang Xiaowe, 29, who has wowed audiXiaowei,anaccountantandgraduateofDongaccompany Chinese red classics. The two had songs all the time. Their upcoming debut tra’s music director and principal conducBeijing alone has at least 15 professional the Olympic Games, and perform with of the country’s top opera singers, “Singing made my parents happy, In June 2001, Beijing hosted the “I love performing for Chinese ences with her playing of a double-keyboard bei University. When he heard Wang Xiaoto first compose the music and then add red album will feature original songwriting — tor Tan Lihua said. “And collaborating symphony orchestras. the London Philharmonic Orchestra at a Wei Song and Warren Wah-lun Mok, so I guessed the main function of Three Tenors — Pavarotti, Placido audiences and watching their expression.