Love of song bonds chorus and community

"When I joined this chorus, I, like many other members, had just graduated from university and was full of expectations for this job. The chorus singers come from across the country. Unlike other choruses, these members receive training for singing and acting because one of our main jobs is to perform in operas. Looking back on this journey, I'm incredibly proud and honored," says tenor Yang Guangmeng, who was born and raised in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and graduated with a degree in singing from Tianjin Normal University in 2007, joining the chorus in 2009.

Resident conductor Jiao, who has been with the chorus since its inception, reflected on the ensemble's remarkable evolution.

"Every note, every rehearsal and every performance is an irreplaceable treasure on the chorus' path to growth," says Jiao, who graduated from the China Conservatory of Music and studied with veteran conductor Wu.

Jiao recalls the chorus' early days with fondness and nostalgia. When the choir was first established, many of the members were young graduates with limited experience in Western opera, which at the time wasn't as widespread in China as it is now.

They were thrust into the challenging environment of collaborating with world-class conductors, including legendary American conductor Lorin Maazel, which left them feeling both excited and nervous.

"At that time, our young members weren't very familiar with Western operas and the learning process was long. A new opera could take a month to fully master, which was a huge challenge for recent graduates," Jiao recalls.

However, over time, the chorus gained valuable experience and can now learn a new opera in just a week. This significant progress can be attributed not only to efficient training methods but also to the members' constant artistic growth and improved language skills.