Pianist Xu finds it natural to grasp the baton

Music lovers in China may know him as a pianist, but Xu Zhong will be taking on a new role as the principal conductor of the Fondazione Arena di Verona in January.

This is a breakthrough for Xu, as well as musicians from China, says Rudolf Tang, a music critic and founder of Klassikom, an online news center about classical music.

The post had been vacant for many years before the board of the Fondazione decided to hire Xu. In the coming three years, Xu is expected to conduct at least one opera production during the open-air Verona Arena Festival and two concerts/operas in the season at the residential Teatro Filarmonico.