Soprano Huang Ying stages first solo recital in Singapore
Chinese opera singer Huang Ying, 55, shot to fame overnight as Cio Cio San in Madame Butterfly, Frederic Mitterrand’s 1995 film version of Puccini’s opera.
Then aged 27, the fresh-faced Huang became the first Chinese soprano to star in an opera movie.
She will perform her first solo recital in Singapore at the Esplanade Concert Hall on July 9.
Huang tells The Straits Times over Zoom that the programme is still in the works, but will include her favourite songs and arias in multiple languages.
This includes songs from the Baroque period, familiar arias from Mozart’s The Marriage Of Figaro and Puccini’s La Boheme, and popular Chinese folk songs.
“They are pieces I like and have been performing for more than 20 years, so I’m sure the audience will enjoy them as well,” she says.
Huang last performed here with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra in 2017. On why it took her so long to stage a solo concert here, she says: “There is always a right time for everything.”
But the delay might be a boon for audiences. “As an opera singer at my age, I can confidently tell people that it’s my prime time. I’m really looking forward to this concert, where I can share my artistry on such a prestigious stage,” she says.
Since her film debut, she has led major opera productions. She played Pamina in the New York Metropolitan Opera’s 2006 staging of The Magic Flute and starred as the titular Madame White Snake in Opera Boston’s 2010 staging.
Now the vice-dean of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Huang’s new goal in life is discovering and nurturing new talent who can build bridges between Eastern and Western art, as she has done in her own career.
“The world is more united than before. China has opened up, and students can easily leave the country to pursue their dreams with greater opportunities than before,” she says.
Her advice to young musicians: Make sure you have talent, a deep passion for the art and, most importantly, faith.
Huang herself had to navigate “huge culture gaps and language barriers in the first five years” after her career took off in 1995, when she moved to New York City.
“Know that it’s serious business before you decide to enter this career,” she says. “Ask yourself if you truly love it, which is tough to determine, because it’s very difficult to do this professionally.”
There has also been a shift in attitudes in the classical world, as stories such as Madame Butterfly have been criticised for their inaccurate depiction of Asian characters. In particular, the infantilisation and hypersexualisation of Asian women, including Madame Butterfly herself, have come under fire.
Huang notes that the portrayal of Asian people in the arts has come a long way since she first started.
“Asian culture is conveyed more sincerely than before,” she says. “Madame Butterfly started my career and changed my life, but it has now become just a piece of art to me. I don’t perform songs from that opera any longer, if it’s not necessary.”
Beyond work, Huang who has been to Singapore several times to perform, is looking forward to some culinary indulgences on her trip. Her favourite dishes are laksa and black pepper crab.
“I love laksa and always look for it in Shanghai. I also enjoy black pepper crab and eating it at Lau Pa Sat,” she says.
“Singapore is a beautiful garden city. I really want to visit the National Orchid Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens this time.”
Book It/An Enchanting Evening With Soprano Ying Huang
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: July 9, 7.30pm
Admission: From $38
Info: str.sg/hd5u
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