He sings low but aims high
- Source: Global Times
- [09:34 August 23 2010]
- Comments
Shen Yang gives a recital at MISA last week. Photo: Courtesy of Shen Yang
Rising Chinese bass-baritone Shen Yang returned to Shanghai last week for a recital of songs by Schubert, Schuman, Loewe and Wolf.
The audience at his concert at the Music in the Summer Air (MISA) gave the 26-year-old Julliard graduate a big welcome home, demanding several encores.
He delivered a bravura performance. "He is a great interpreter. I really enjoyed the concert," said Wray Armstrong, chairman & CEO of Armstrong Arts Ltd., who has attended Shen's recitals before.
"Bass-baritone voices are almost completely dominated by Westerners. Shen Yang is a rarity," said Zhang Ruixia, a piano student.
Discovered by the superstar soprano Renee Fleming seven years ago, Shen won worldwide fame by becoming the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2007 at 23.
Since then, Shen has appeared with leading international musicians including Daniel Barenboim, Antonio Pappano and James Levine.
After graduating from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, he received intense coaching and was urged to practice for live performances in the US. This taught him "to become more calm and mature."
Early last year, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera and gave his first New York solo recital, as the recipient of the Alice Tully Vocal Arts Debut Recital Award. He also won the 2008 Borletti- Buitoni Trust Award.
Now a graduate of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and the Juilliard School's Opera Center, Shen plans to introduce Western music education styles to Chinese students.
He has joined the staff of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music but will be allowed to concentrate on his own career for the next five years.
Studying music in the US was an eye-opener for Shen.
