Now Shenzhen | October 16, 2023
DRESSED in their iconic sailor suits, a group of 22 young boys hailing from the esteemed Wiener Sängerknaben, more commonly known as Vienna Boys’ Choir, graced the stage of the Guangming Culture and Art Center in Guangming District on Friday night.
The choir, made up of boys aged 9 to 14 and led by their Italian choirmaster Manolo Cagnin, cast a mesmerizing spell over the audience, concluding their remarkable 525th anniversary tour on the Chinese mainland.
Vienna Boys’ Choir, an enduring symbol of Austria since its inception in 1498, remains one of the world’s oldest boys’ choirs. Comprising boy sopranos and altos, the choir is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and its members come from various corners of the globe. The choir has long been a symbol of musical excellence, captivating audiences worldwide.
Friday’s performance featured a delightful blend of Western choral masterpieces, folk songs, and pop tunes. The first half showcased classical repertoire such as “Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik. K.525,” “Schumann Zigeunerleben, Op. 29 No.3” and “Joseph Strauss Village swallows from Austria, Op.164.” The second half saw the choir performing folk songs from countries like Türkiye, Ukraine, and New Zealand, as well as specially prepared Chinese songs, including the romantic “The Moon Represents My Heart” and “Gao Shan Qing,” paying homage to Chinese culture.
“The song [“The Moon Represents My Heart”] is a wonderful melody, one of the best I’ve ever heard,” Cagnin told Shenzhen Daily during an exclusive interview Friday night before the show.
Born in Treviso, Italy, Cagnin developed an interest in music early in life. As a child, he studied the violin and went to the Conservatory of Venice, then later pursued choral music, conducting and composition in Venice and Milan.
In 2008, Cagnin was named conductor of one of the four touring choirs of Vienna Boys’ Choir. He prepares the boys for masses with the Vienna Hofmusikkapelle and for appearances with the Vienna State Opera; for sound and video recordings, and for concerts both in Vienna and abroad.
The conductor expressed his admiration for the vibrant cultural development of Shenzhen and China as a whole. “Not only in Shenzhen, but across China, the quality of the theater, the quality of the piano, the quality of the audience is perfect. I’m really happy that the government invests money to support cultural development, because culture is our past, present, and future,” Cagnin said.
A mother surnamed Zhu brought her 7-year-old daughter to witness the world of musical performance by her peers, as her daughter is learning the piano. Zhu told Shenzhen Daily that she was amazed by the choir’s voices, seamless harmonies, and the conductor’s passionate performance, while her daughter said she was left in awe by the concert.
As a Shenzhen resident, Zhu commended the city’s flourishing cultural and arts scene and the government’s commitment to constructing new cultural venues and hosting top-notch performances.
As part of their 2023 tour in China, the choir is set to perform in nearly 20 cities. Their mainland tour has already graced cities like Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu, and Shenzhen. The choir will continue their performances in Hong Kong and Taiwan in the coming days, according to Cagnin.
ARTICLE FROM: Shenzhen Daily