Guang Yang

Vocalists — Mezzo-Soprano

Manager: Michael Benchetrit
Management Territory: Worldwide

As Suzuki in Madama Butterfly at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, February 2004: “But the star of the show was Chinese mezzo Guang Yang’s Suzuki. She is a major artist, with a huge, gorgeous voice and terrific stage presence. Whenever she was onstage, the whole production moved several notches upward.” —Sarah Bryan Miller, St Louis Post Dispatch, March 7, 2004

In the Rising Stars Concert at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, April 2004: “A second year student, Yang appeared, as Suzuki in Lyric’s ”Madama Butterfly” this season, but even that memorable performance only hinted at the artistry that she demonstrated Sunday in several selections. In the aria “O mon Fernand” from Donizetti’s “La Favorite” (sung in the original French), she fearlessly flew through the coloratura passages, evoking memories of a young Marilyn Horne. Later, in a duet from Rossini’s “L’Italiana in Algeri”, Yang served as a delightfully comic foil to the equally wonderful Levi Hernandez.” —Laura Emerick, Chicago Sun-Times, April 6, 2004

As Suzuki in Madama Butterfly at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, February 2004: “The rest of the cast was as before, with the splendid Chinese mezzo Guang Yang stealing the show with her affecting, gorgeously sung Suzuki." “The pathos that was hard to find in Valayre's Butterfly was abundant in Lyric Opera Center mezzo-soprano Guang Yang's warmly sung and uncommonly touching performance as Suzuki, Cio-Cio-San's confidante.” —John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune, March 17, 2004 and February 16, 2004

About

The 1997 winner of the prestigious BBC Singer of the World Competition in Cardiff, Guang Yang recently completed a three-year stay at the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Center for American Artists.

Miss Yang’s recent engagements included her return to her home company, the Lyric Opera of Chicago for her much-acclaimed Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and her debuts with Opera Hong Kong as Eboli in Don Carlo and in Bregenz as Amneris in Aida. She also made her Madison Symphony debut in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. Later this season Miss Yang . . . will return to Bregenz for further performances as Amneris.

Recent engagements included returns to the Deutsche Oper, Berlin for Amneris in Aida, to the Canadian Opera Company, where Miss Yang appeared in Don Carlos, Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung. She made debuts with the Florida Grand Opera as Amneris in Aida, a role she reprised in Houston and Omaha, followed by her Paris debut in concerts of the Verdi Requiem with Christoph Eschenbach and the Orchestre de Paris. She sang that piece more recently with Kansas City and Indianapolis Symphonies. In recital, Guang Yang took part in Marilyn Horne’s birthday gala at Zankel Hall.

Guang Yang’s other recent projects included her return to the Welsh National Opera for her first Eboli in Don Carlos (in the original French 5-act version). She debuted with Canadian Opera Company that season as the Second Norn and Waltraute in Götterdämmerung. Another important debut took place at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin for the mezzo-soprano’s first Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana.

Guang Yang’s commitments at the Lyric Opera of Chicago included Flosshilde in Das Rheingold, Grimgerde in Die Walküre and the Second Norn in Götterdämmerung. Miss Yang made her Dallas Opera debut as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, a role she sang the previous season in Chicago to tremendous acclaim. In concert, Miss Yang made her Chicago Symphony debut as the Alto Solo in Tippett’s A Child of Our Time under Sir Andrew Davis and performed in recital at the Chicago Cultural Center. She also appeared in concert with Deborah Voigt and Ben Heppner in Ottawa and in Joliette singing Brangäne in the Act II Love Duet from Tristan und Isolde.

Other engagements have included the role of Lu in Tan Dun’s opera Tea with the Lyon Opera, a concert with Plácido Domingo at the Kennedy Center, Rosina in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia for the Welsh National Opera, Hécube in Berlioz’ Les Troyens with the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis (available commercially on CD), the mezzo soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera under Carlo Rizzi, Mother Marie in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites with the Juilliard Opera Center under Julius Rudel, a concert at the Cultural Center in Hong Kong, and recitals in the United Kingdom at the Manx International Festival and the Newbury Spring Festival.

Other concert engagements include Miss Yang’s Carnegie Hall debut in a Gala performance for the Marilyn Horne Foundation, the Verdi Requiem with the National Symphony Orchestra in the summer of 2002, a recital tour of the United Kingdom, and appearances with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Stockholm Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Guang Yang won first prize in Plácido Domingo’s 2001 OPERALIA Competition. Miss Yang was born in Beijing, China, where she studied at the Central Conservatory of Music.