“Singing of the Silk Road” Echoed Around Auditorium of GDUFS

On November 24th, LI Yiping, a well-known mezzo-soprano, together with Thomas Grabowski, a top-notch accompanist from Zurich Opera House, held a concert named “Singing of the Silk Road” in the packed auditorium on the south campus, offering the audience a feast for both the minds and the eyes.

The perfect coordination between LI and Grabowski

Singing for Love

The concert commenced with an Italian song Amore Mio. Accompanied on the piano by Grabowski, LI gently related the “simple love story” with her pleasant and smooth singing voice. In the following song, If You Love Me, the haunting melody, expressive performance and the sudden change of rhythm enthralled the audience and left them with endless imagination.

At the beginning of the concert, LI said: “Today, I just sing for you with all my heart.” LI started to practise as soon as she arrived in Guangzhou. Unfortunately, her voice cracked because of the large temperature difference between Guangzhou and Switzerland. However, complemented by deep sentiment, her voice sounded even more emotional and touching.

LI singing the story of World War Ⅱ

Denouncing World War Ⅱ

I have been waiting for my lover all my life told a story about a widow of a soldier expecting her husband to return during the Second World War. LI’s passionate singing. as well as the ups and downs of pitch, not only thoroughly expressed the sorrow of the heroine, but also demonstrated the power and professionalism of her performance.

Equally impressive was the song, I am a lonely blade of grass, which denounced the war to the extreme. With the teary eyes, the gesture of prayer, the trembling voice and the mournful expression, her performance seemed to transport the audiences to the brutal battlefield of the Second World War. A postgraduate majoring in vocal performance from South China Normal University was deeply moved by this program and she said: “Ms. LI enriched the song with her voice, gesture and expression. As a result, the ideas of the song were vividly conveyed. ”

LI expressed strong attachment to her hometown by singing folk songs

Singing in Praise of Hometown

In the last part of the concert, LI sang the folk songs of her beloved hometown. “I grew up in Xinjiang, whenever I sang these old songs…” Tears choked her words. The distinctive charm of Xinjiang folk songs, the hospitality of the Xinjiang people and the splendor of its natural scenery were explicitly manifested in her sonorous voice. In addition, LI also extended her heartfelt gratitude to her talent scout, Mr. QI, whose deep insight and excellent taste helped to mould an ordinary girl into an opera queen.

Finally, LI sang a soft Hail Mary as an encore, praying for the victims of the Paris terrorist attack. People were infected with both her sincerity and wholeheartedness. In this audio-visual feast, her lovely and straightforward personality impressed the audiences and narrowed the distance between them. The concert, described by the audiences as “the most cheerful one they have ever seen”, ended with a standing ovation.

Audience presenting bouquet

This concert was hosted by the Faculty Development Center and the College of Art, and attended by SHI Baoxin, Swiss Consul General in Guangzhou; WU Ken, Deputy Secretary-General of the Guangdong Provincial Government; TANG Yunbao, President of the Xinghai Conservatory of Music, and FANG Fanquan, Vice President of GDUFS.

P.S.

Now living in Switzerland, the renowned mezzo-soprano was born in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Studying with GAO Lanzhi, a well-known soprano music educator, she then entered the Military Art Troupe of Guangzhou as a soloist. In the 1990s, she was enrolled in Zurich Opera House Studio. Two years later she became the first Asian to sign a contract with La Venice. From then on, she performed worldwide, in locations including Venice, Copenhagen, Berlin, Munich, France, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Austria, and so on. Currently, apart from teaching at the Zurich University of the Arts, she also dedicates herself to concerts and opera performance.

The piano accompanist, Mr. Thomas Grabowski, is a world-class art director from Zurich Opera House, who has accompanied and instructed numerous singers for 30 years, including Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Josep-Maria Carreras, Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming and Gruberova.

Chinese report:“丝绸之路的歌声”唱响广外小剧场