How Do Tang Poems Meet and Meld with Opera and Other Western Arts?

--Interview with Tian Haojiang, the renowned singer and artistic director of the concert Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems

At the beginning of 2023, a concert entitled Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems was staged in Philadelphia and New York. Fifteen singers from 10 countries joined forces with the Philadelphia Orchestra to perform musical works based on the poems of Li Bai, Du Fu, and Bai Juyi in Chinese, which received widespread attention from the Chinese and American media.

How do Tang poems meet and meld with Western arts such as opera and symphony? In an exclusive interview with East Meets West of China News Service, Tian Haojiang, the renowned singer and artistic director of the concert, told the story behind the concert, from the call for works to the performance, and shared his understanding of artistic integration and cultural exchange.

Tian Haojiang is the first Chinese singer who has been contracted by the New York Metropolitan Opera House for 20 years. He has performed in more than 1,400 operas in over 40 of the world's top opera houses and has collaborated with Pavarotti, Domingo, and others. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Denver and an Honorary Doctorate by the Manhattan School of Music. Tian believes that singing has the power to communicate in a subtle way, and the world will be a more hopeful place if there is a greater integration of different cultures.

CNS: Why has the Concert of Tang poems been more popular than expected in the US?

Tian Haojiang: The concert of Tang poems, which features the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra performing an entire musical work of Tang poems, is not an isolated performing art form, but rather comprehensive. This synthesis presents its uniqueness by bringing together the literary power of Chinese Tang poems, contemporary music, and multinational vocalists.

Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems: iSING! Suzhou with The Philadelphia Orchestra – 2023 Happy Chinese New Year Concert was performed at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, on the evening of 7 January 2023. Photo by Liao Pan

CNS: How did Tang poems meet and meld with western arts such as opera?

Tian Haojiang: Tang poems are the peak of Chinese literature. In China, people learn and recite Tang poems from childhood, which is a cultural legacy. When it comes to melding, I have been an opera singer for over 35 years, and what I believe in most is singing. I have sung dozens of operas and performed over 1,400 shows. I believe that singing has a power that is hard to put into words, but it can move you. Whether it is Italian opera, German opera, Chinese folk music, or modern Chinese opera, the audience will feel it minute by minute and be captivated unconsciously. The concert of Tang Poems was performed by young opera singers, and singing allows us to feel better about each other as long as we are singing from our hearts and singing well. It is a power of communication.

I believe that both Western operas and original Chinese operas have songs and music that have become classics, directly related to the music's richness, symphonic nature, and singability. This concert of Tang poems is not simply a matter of poetry but a complete and profound artistic presentation. Composers gave their innermost feelings to the work as they composed it. Composers from many countries combined their knowledge of history with contemporary music to blend in their feelings about the Tang poems. Finally, our opera singers then brought this feeling to life. It is a new and comprehensive presentation.

The wall behind singer Tian Hao Jiang at his apartment near Lincoln Center in New York City is covered with stills of his opera roles. Photo by Liao Pan

CNS: What was your biggest feeling from the call for works to the final performance of the concert? What were the considerations in configuring the cast and orchestra for this performance?

Tian Haojiang: Our team started by organising an international composition competition and spent nearly eight months selecting a group of compositions for the Tang poems by young composers from six countries. This project had not been attempted before, and it was full of unknowns as to how it would eventually be presented and whether it would be performed. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Western performance market was closed, but we still received strong support from many sources. Later, singers from many countries came all the way to China for rehearsals, and the concert of Tang poems premiered in China first. To this day, the project has been able to continue to the stage of New York's Lincoln Center, so to speak, through a long and arduous journey. The 15 soloists come from 10 countries. To do this project, one must have an affection for Tang poems and a quest to present new works.

As for the orchestra, we were very fortunate to be able to work with the renowned Philadelphia Orchestra for this American performance. Every note played by the Philadelphia Orchestra, especially in the string section, elevated the work by more than one level. The calibre of their playing, including their coordination and symphony, was a lifting up for our singers.

After the concert, Artistic Director Tian Haojiang posed for a group photo with the entire cast. Photo by Liao Pan

CNS: From the beginning of your studies in vocal performance, to acting in opera, to being the Artistic Director, you have a multi-dimensional and multi-layered perception of Eastern and Western arts. How do you view this experience? What do you think is good art in the field of vocal music?

Tian Haojiang: For a singer, the influence of experience on singing is significant. One's experience is not just on stage or in the conservatory, but is directly related to all the encounters in one's life. The more experiences you have, the richer and deeper your perception of joy and sorrow will be. Everything you have experienced helps you to build your character on stage.

Any kind of vocal art is actually related and cannot be separated. People in the vocal arts must have a broad view of singing and musical forms. I am an opera singer myself, and I also like pop music, jazz, folk etc. For me, good art is about sounding good and touching, and these two things are vital.

CNS: Will the concert of Tang poems go to other countries? What are your plans for the future?

Tian Haojiang: I know that some audiences have followed the concert of Tang poems to New York after seeing it in Philadelphia. I can say that the audience's response after these two performances in the US has exceeded my expectations. The concert of Tang poems deserves to be performed in countless places. However, I don't know whether we will be able to secure investment in the future.

Generally speaking, when one mentions Tang poems, one thinks of Song lyrics. Should we continue to do the concert of Tang poems or turn to Song lyrics or try folk songs? This question is for you. Your expectations will inspire us.

The performance of Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems: iSING! Suzhou with The Philadelphia Orchestra - 2023 Happy Chinese New Year Concert. Photo by Liao Pan

CNS: How do you see the exchange between Eastern and Western cultures? In terms of artistic creation and performance, how do you think Chinese culture should communicate with the world?

Tian Haojiang: I think it is important for cultures to be inclusive and exchange and meld with each other to make the world more hopeful. Just like art cannot stay on a single tone, it must need beautiful harmonies and melodies. Chinese culture is not an isolated culture, and it will definitely meld with other cultures worldwide. Moreover, there is equality in the culture itself, and communication between cultures should take place naturally and in the best possible light.

Singing will also serve to communicate. To experience different cultures through different art forms is an excellent communication method.

Tian Haojiang is the first Chinese singer who has been contracted by the New York Metropolitan Opera House for 20 years. He has performed in more than 1,400 operas in over 40 of the world's top opera houses and has collaborated with Pavarotti, Domingo, and others. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Denver and an Honorary Doctorate by the Manhattan School of Music.