An operatic voyage from France to China

CHINESE soprano Huang Ying will take Shanghai audience on a musical voyage from France to China with her performance “A Mirage” at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center on May 12.

Together with French pianist Michel Dalberto, Huang will sing French works like Faure‘s “Apres un Reve,” Debussy’s “Nuit d’etoiles,” Duparc‘s “Chanson triste,” Ravel’s “Vocalise-etude en Forme de Habanera” and Poulenc’s ”Les Chemins de L’amour.”

She will also present Chinese works like Huang Zi’s “Lovesickness,” Ding Shande‘s “My Lover Sent Me a Sunflower” and Zhao Jiping’s “Crying Ospreys.”

Huang selected the French works together with Dalberto, while picking the Chinese works herself.

“All the French works we selected are of high appreciation value as they were created based on famous French poems,” Huang said. “They are arranged in chronological order.

”The Chinese songs are all classics, featuring Chinese aesthetics. I also selected some folk songs with distinctive ethnic elements,” she said.

Huang first came to international attention when she sang the lead role in Frederic Mitterand’s 1995 film adaptation of “Madam Butterfly.”

She later performed in operas internationally, including playing Pamina in “The Magic Flute” at the New York Metropolitan Opera. She also starred in the opera “Madame White Snake” based on the famous Chinese legend. It was awarded the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Although Huang works mainly in Western operas, she is also dedicated to singing Chinese songs to promote Chinese culture to a wider audience.

“I am a Chinese. I feel it is my responsibility to sing Chinese songs,” said Huang.

Date: May 12, 7:30pm

Tickets: 120-580 yuan

Tel: 6854-1234

Venue: Shanghai Oriental Arts Center

Address: 425 Dingxiang Rd, Pudong New Area