Linked with Classical Music Struggles to Be Heard.
She is one of the 1000 women proposed for the Nobel Peace Price 2005.
She says: « I wish to present wonderful music and peaceful life to the public and popularize exquisite classical music to the best of my ability » … and: « A symphony which represents Western music, is a most complex yet splendid artistic form » … « Compared with China’s big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, Xiamen, with a population of only 400,000, has done very well ».
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Xiaoying Zheng – China
She works for China’s Central Opera Theater (named in China today).
Zheng Xiaoying is China’s first female opera and symphony orchestra conductor, and is the first Chinese orchestra conductor to take the international opera stage. She is now the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra. Zheng has been awarded a variety of prizes in acknowledgment of her outstanding art achievements on the following four aspects:
I. Rebuilding of the Central Opera Theatre’s orchestra from ruin after the Cultural Revolution and excellent opera conducting:
Zheng has often been invited to give performances on important occasions in China since 1978. She has conducted many Chinese and foreign operas. She also offers tremendous support to the creative works of young composers and assists in the trial performance and spread of Chinese works. Her conducting is considered enthusiastic, conscientious, exquisite, and inspiring.Zheng has been invited more than 30 times to lead opera and symphony concerts or give lectures in more than 20 countries like USA, Russia, Japan, Australia, and European countries. She is the first Chinese conductor to take the podium in a foreign opera theatre and continues to receive such invitations even now. Zheng’s performance on the international stage has changed prejudices against Chinese and oriental women.
II. More than 50 years of brilliant teaching achievements: