A legend returns home

At 97, most people might retire into quiet reflection, but Zheng Xiaoying, China's first female opera and symphony conductor, is boarding flights, stepping onto stages, and returning to her roots to teach.

Invited by Tianjin Conservatory of Music, she has returned to the city that she calls her artistic homeland to lead a two-week master class that began on May 8, guiding young conductors and opera performers in the art of Chinese-language opera.

The two-week master class culminated in a concert performance of Mozart's comic opera The Marriage of Figaro on Thursday at Tianjin Grand Theatre, showcasing the results of Zheng's teaching and the enduring vitality of Chinese-language opera.

"Tianjin is my 'old home'," Zheng says. "When I was invited to teach here, I didn't hesitate. This is where my formal music education began, and where my artistic journey truly started."

In 1952, Zheng began her studies at what was then the Tianjin campus of the Central Conservatory of Music. Three years later, she was selected to study choral conducting in Beijing. By the end of 1955, she returned to Tianjin to become one of the first teachers of China's newly founded conducting department, simultaneously continuing her composition studies.

"Walking into this school, the building on my right housed the country's first conducting department," she recalls. "That period of hard work laid the professional foundation for my entire career and shaped my respect for art and dedication to teaching."

Zheng has devoted decades to Chinese opera. She recounts the early days of opera education in Tianjin with pride.

"The first opera we staged was Verdi's La Traviata, performed in Chinese. It brought Western classics to Chinese audiences for the first time," she says.

In 1982, Zheng and the China National Opera House staged Verdi's La Traviata in Tianjin, performing 39 consecutive sold-out shows. Before each performance, she gave a 20-minute public lecture explaining the music, characterizations, and dramatic techniques, ensuring audiences could not only hear, but also understand the operatic storytelling. These efforts cemented her belief that "singing foreign operas in Chinese" is a great way for Western classics to resonate with Chinese audiences.

For this master class in Tianjin, Zheng selected The Marriage of Figaro, teaching students how to interpret, rehearse, and perform Western operas in a way that is authentically Chinese in language, expression, and cultural understanding.

"The story isn't just about a wedding ceremony," she tells the students. "It's about the conflict between the aristocracy and commoners, about interference and negotiation. The translation reflects the work's core themes, not just its surface plot."

This opera has long been a cornerstone of Zheng's teaching. In 1983, a Chinese-language production of The Marriage of Figaro became the graduation showcase for the Central Conservatory's vocal department, later refined by Zheng into a model teaching production. With the Chinese adaptation of The Marriage of Figaro, Chinese audiences were able to enjoy the performance without the language barrier, which helped make opera popular in the country.

"Chinese-language operas serve as the best practical training for young vocalists," she says. "I hope this master class can plant a seed here, so that systematic, high-quality opera education continues in Tianjin."

For the students, every gesture of this silver-haired maestro carries weight. In the very building where she once learned, practiced, and taught, Zheng is not just instructing technique but passing on a lifetime of experience, dedication, and love for opera, planting seeds that will shape China's musical landscape for generations to come.

"For students, stage experience is the most important. It's only on stage that they can truly discover their own shortcomings," says veteran tenor Wang Hongwei, the president of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music, who invited Zheng to deliver the master class to students of the conservatory.

Wang says that from May to July, the conservatory will take center stage during the 2026 Tianjin Music Festival, offering a spectacular lineup of 100 concerts, performances, and academic lectures across the city.

Audiences will enjoy operas staged in unique urban spaces in Tianjin, as well as concerts featuring works by Shi Guangnan (1940-90) — one of the most famous and prolific songwriters in the country — student-teacher recitals with soprano Lei Jia, and performances by tenor Yan Weiwen and his students.

Besides The Marriage of Figaro, on the operatic front, the conservatory will present a dynamic mix of classics, original works, and beloved revivals. Highlights include Xiao Erhei Gets Married, Knot of Togetherness and Erquan.

Knot of Togetherness will be staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts on June 13 and 14 in Beijing, while Erquan will embark on tours nationwide.

Throughout the year, Tianjin Conservatory of Music's traditional Chinese music department will hold a total of 107 events featuring traditional Chinese musical instruments. Besides concert halls, shows will be staged in public schools, communities, and at scenic destinations nationwide.

"As a music school, besides teaching our next generation of musicians, we want to bring music directly to the general public, making music more accessible, engaging, and connected to everyday life," says Wang.

Wang notes that earlier this year, Tianjin Conservatory of Music launched a memorial hall for the composer Shi Guangnan, allowing the public to learn about the creative life of this musician, who graduated from Tianjin Conservatory of Music, and is known for compositions such as Toast Song and On the Fields of Hope. Over the decades, these songs have been performed by generations of singers, resonating deeply with listeners.

The collection includes more than 13,000 items, such as his enrollment certificate, examination papers, original manuscripts, clothing, personal belongings, and collectibles.

"We believe in a 'campus without walls', connecting with the wider community and sharing the joy of art with everyone," says Wang.