Chinese tenors to sing at New York

Those who are still awestruck by the stunning acrobatics integral to the Peking Opera performance, which is typically staged to celebrate the coming Chinese New Year, may wish to marvel at a new cultural delight.

This year, three celebrated Chinese tenors, Dai Yuqiang, Wei Song and Mo Hualun, will make their U.S. debut at a Spring Festival Eve concert (Jan. 22) at New York's Lincoln Center. According to Time magazine, the Chinese tenors' stateside sojourn is a sign of China's growing global dominance. 

Qianlong.com reported yesterday (Jan. 19) that the tenors will perform an opera featuring both Western melodies and elements of Chinese, particularly Beijing, culture.

The opera's organizers, the Beijing Performance and Arts Group, would not reveal the specific song list, however they confirmed that the opera would combine both Chinese and Western ballads.

It's thought that the appearance of the three Chinese tenors in New York will lure more foreigners to China to learn Chinese and about Chinese culture. Commenting on the cultural shift, renowned Chinese opera singer Tian Haojiang said in an interview with Time: "Instead of Chinese singers always coming to the West, Western singers are coming to learn Chinese."

Established in May 2009, the Beijing Performance and Arts Group is a municipality-owned cultural conglomerate. The Chinese tenors are a leading cultural asset of the group and, as such, are scheduled to spread their charm as far as Scotland by performing at the Edinburgh International Festival late this year.