New voices deliver fresh perspective on century-old opera

KUALA LUMPUR — The Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower, tinged with exotic charm, fills the air of a rehearsal room. Young Chinese faces move among performers from Malaysia, Britain and Australia, repeatedly adjusting their positions, vocal delivery and movements.

Three students majoring in bel canto at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music in China are rehearsing alongside singers from the Kuala Lumpur City Opera in Malaysia for Italian composer Giacomo Puccini's classic opera Turandot.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Turandot's premiere in Milan, Italy. Set in an imagined China and incorporating Chinese musical elements, including Jasmine Flower, the operatic classic will be staged in Kuala Lumpur in October, marking the return of the large-scale full production to Malaysia after 20 years.

"This environment provides rich, diverse opportunities for cultural exchange," said baritone Zhang Enrui.

Zhang said his first overseas opera production gave him a more tangible understanding of what it means to live in a "global village", while deepening his appreciation for cultural exchange and understanding.

Turandot is a three-act opera Puccini adapted from a fairy tale, and it was his final opera. The story follows the romance between Princess Turandot and Prince Calaf. It is renowned for its sweeping orchestration, large-scale choral scenes, and the iconic tenor aria Nessun dorma.

Over the past century, artists worldwide have reinterpreted the opera. For the young Chinese singers in this production, performing Turandot offers an opportunity to explore the European artistic imagination of "China" from a century ago while experiencing its local Malaysian interpretation.

Jin Junxian, who plays Pang, said that Turandot presents an "Eastern world" imagined by European artists in the early 20th century, while incorporating distinctive Chinese elements.

"Jasmine Flower is well-known and distinctive," he said. "As young Chinese people participating in this production, we also hope to show the spirit and vitality of our generation."

To prepare, the students underwent several rounds of intense rehearsals in China. After arriving in Malaysia, they faced a new dimension to their work: performers with different character interpretations, music and stage movements.

"Everyone has a perspective, but art is a communication bridge," Jin said. Performers can shape their characters according to their own understanding while learning from each other's approach, he said. "Cultural exchange can deepen our understanding of opera."

Han Longxi, the Chinese singer playing Pong, has had a similar experience: "It is amazing. Music knows no borders." Compared with versions he previously encountered, Malaysian performers approach characters in a livelier way, making him realize "there are other ways to present them."

The young Chinese singers also bring fresh "chemistry" to the Malaysian performers. Gui Foo Chen, the Malaysian opera singer playing Calaf, said the production brings together different nationalities, ages and professional backgrounds, including experienced singers and students. He said he looks forward to seeing sparks fly as they come together on stage.

The cross-border collaboration came about by chance. Danny Cheng Heng Siong, co-founder and executive producer of the Kuala Lumpur City Opera, said the production team faced casting challenges while preparing Turandot. Last year, he worked with Liu Gang, an associate professor in the Wuhan Conservatory of Music's vocal music department and baritone singer. This led him to an idea: Use the opportunity to bring Chinese singers into the production and combine opera with cultural exchange.

"I asked Professor Liu to select and train outstanding students to take on these roles and bring them to Malaysia," Cheng said. The response was positive, and three young Chinese students eventually joined the production.

In his view, having a Chinese conservatory undertake initial preparations before arriving in Malaysia and integrating into the production is itself cultural exchange built on professionalism and trust.

"We could also send our young singers to China," he said, "a collaboration that would serve as a starting point for more exchanges."

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