Chopin and more

Day and Night is a piano concerto of Song Siheng and electronic musician B6.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The coming concert isn't a recital by her, Wang says, rather a presentation that mixes the Chinese opera and folk music.

Peking Opera, one of China's cultural icons, is a traditional art form that combines music and performances, with the lead singers usually taking center stage. But the musicians who play the accompaniment are just as talented and skilled, making the music of Peking Opera rich and colorful.

By producing the concert, Wang wants to present "dialogues between various instruments and the singer", she says.

The concert to be performed in about 10 parts will feature the diversity of Peking Opera styles. Wang will herself sing just one piece.

The Sennheiser Shanghai Concert Hall, which usually hosts Western classical music concerts, has an acoustic system that is different from traditional Chinese opera houses. In an effort to stay true to the roots of Peking Opera, Wang and her team intend to put up a show that would be pleasant to the ear, she says.

Wang is developing her career from a Peking Opera singer and inheritor of the art form to become an active promoter of it. Friday's concert is likely to be a major step in attracting new audiences to the traditional opera.

"I am asking for the understanding and support of my audiences," she says.

The second concert will be held on March 18, when pianist Song Siheng will play Chopin's renowned 24 Preludes, followed by electronic musician B6's recomposition of the pieces. The concert will have multimedia installation performances as well.