iSING! Suzhou International Young Artists Festival, an annual event in Suzhou since 2014 and the first international festival for vocalists in the country, is playing a big part in introducing Chinese operas to global audiences.

Each year, the event offers young artists from around the globe chances to learn to perform Chinese music works in Chinese. A number of participants from the previous sessions of the festival have been cast in the world tours of several Chinese operas.

 

“Three young artists who partook in the previous sessions of the festival played major roles in the overseas performances of the ‘Diaries of John Rabe’, and 10 joined the performances of ‘Voyage to the East’. The two works are Chinese operas that require excellent singing in Chinese,” said Tian Haojiang, art director of the festival and one of the leading actors in the performances.

 

“We have formed a team consisting of conductors, directors, choreographers and others to create original opera works and cultivate young singers who can sing Chinese operas. We will continue doing that,” Tian said.