Wagner's sea of eternity

In the past three years, the soprano presented a series of opera productions with the Shanghai Opera House, such as Aida, Turandot, Tosca, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci.

"I am very honored to be able to present my first Wagner opera with the Shanghai Opera House in the 25th year of my career," she says.

The leading actor, Thomas, recalls his first visit to China in 2018, as it was the first time he played the Dutchman (the ship's captain) in the Wagner's opera. The audience's rapturous applause encouraged him.

"Every night, in the restroom I remembered there were people congregating for autographs and that doesn't happen a lot in the United States," he says.

This time he canceled the plan for a new Donizetti production in the US to make the China tour. Playing the revival is different from five years ago, he says. "Live theater is not like the movies. … This is what's exciting about live theater. It is the same opera and same music, but the chemistry is different."

He goes on to praise the Shanghai Opera House for the "magnificent" sound of the chorus and says the soloists are "wonderful singers with strong work ethics".