Thursday 31 March 2011

Zhou Xiaoyan sings Grieg


Zhou Xiaoyan 周小燕 (b 1918). One of the great Chinese singers and singing teachers. Born in Wuhan to an intellectual family, she went to France to study at the Paris Conservatoire. She sang in French and Czech opera houses before patriotically returning to China in 1947. WSestern classical music was very popular in China until the Cultural Revolution., so Zhou had a successful career giving concerts (mostly mixed recitals), making records and teaching. I can't imagine the equivalent in the west. Pavarotti ? She's still alive, living I think in Shanghai.

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