Soprano pays tribute to Verdi with album

Chinese soprano Zhang Liping has released a new album Sempre Libera, in which she performs nine arias by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), including E strano! Sempre libera from La Traviata, Caro nom from Rigoletto and Come d'aurato from Il Trovatore.

The 53-year-old, who has achieved international acclaim by performing with many of the world's leading opera houses, including the Royal Opera Covent Garden, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Metropolitan Opera, says she has dedicated the album to her beloved Italian composer.

Zhang started preparing for this album five years ago, working with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and under the baton of Graeme Jenkins, hoping to get it ready for Verdi's 200th birth anniversary. But the project took longer than she expected.