On June 23, 2001, the Three Tenors focused the world's attention on China's magnificent Forbidden City when they performed in front of 35,000 fans and a world television audience of three billion.

As a thankyou for the warm reception given by the Chinese audience, the three famous tenors told their Chinese hosts that China also has very talented vocalists.

They mentioned "the Metropolitan bass Tian," whom they said is "wonderful."

The Tian they spoke of is Beijing-born bass Tian Haojiang, who has performed in over 300 shows with the Metropolitan Opera in 13 seasons since 1991.

Now the 50-year-old bass returns to his home-city to give a recital at Poly Theatre Saturday. It will be his first recital in Beijing since leaving for the United States in 1983. The concert's organizer is Beijing Time New Century Entertainment Co Ltd.

"I was born in Beijing and I have always thought of singing here," said Tian at a press conference held in Beijing on Wednesday.

"I know it is not so easy to produce and market a classical concert, so it takes time."

At Saturday's concert, Tian is scheduled to sing the arias from Rossini and Verdi's operas, Handel and Schubert's works, some musical songs and folk songs from several countries around the world.

"It is not so easy to decide the programme, as I want to display my wide repertoire to the concert-goers," said Tian.

"I feel excited and nervous at the same time to give a recital in Beijing," he said. "I have so many old friends and teachers here. I will give them some special treatment - songs which would remind them of the days we spent together."

Wei Fugen, who has co-operated with Tian for dozens of concerts in the United States and Asia, will be the piano accompanist.

Musicians and critics from home have high expectations for Tian's first recital.

"Tian is the pride of Chinese vocalists," said Tian Yubin, former president of the China Opera and Ballet Theatre.

"Nine years ago, I invited Tian back Beijing to sing 'Yellow River Cantata' at a concert with other singers," Tian Yubin added. "It was far from enough for his fans. This time, the recital will be a feast."

Liu Xijin, president of China Central Opera Theatre, said Tian's courage for singing with only piano accompaniment was admirable.

"One piano makes the audience better appreciate the voice, but if the voice is not good enough, Tian would not dare to do so."

During the press conference, Tian humbly rejected the label of "best Chinese bass" or "best Chinese vocalist."

"I am not the best but the luckiest," he said. "I started with very small roles in the Metropolitan Opera and have co-operated with many established opera actors such as the Three Tenors and other musicians," said Tian, who attributes his success to his hard work and strong willingness to learn.

From boiler factory to music conservatory

Tian was born into a musical family in Beijing, his father a conductor and mother a composer. He learned piano at the age of eight but showed little interest in it.

During the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976), Tian and his parents were sent to work in the countryside of Henan Province.

Tian will never forget that day in 1968 when his father prepared to demolish the family's gramophone and smash all the records to make ready for their departure.

Suddenly, his father stopped, picked out a record and said: "Let me play this for you."

The stirring music flew from the old gramophone. It was Beethoven.

"I was absorbed, and I had never felt that music could be so powerful," recalled Tian. "The moment my father turned on the gramophone, he also opened the door to music for me."

However his gifted voice was not discovered until one day in the early 1970s when he worked in the Beijing Boiler Factory.

One summer afternoon, when he shouted out his friend's name at the foot of an apartment building, one of the windows opened and a man's head appeared. He said to Tian: "Hi guy, you have such a big voice. How about coming up to have a drink with me?"

The man turned out to be a teacher from the Central Conservatory of Music. He advised Tian to take up singing.

But Tian wanted to join the army. He even tried acupuncture and moxibustion to treat his nearsightedness.

He never made it to the army, but enrolled in the Central Conservatory of Music in 1977.

In 1983, he went to the University of Denver to further his musical studies.

He still remembers watching his first "real" classical Western opera at the Metropolitan Opera on December 24, 1983. He spent US$8 of his US$35 for standing room, to listen to Pavarotti in "Ernani."

However, his career did not start smoothly.

"Chinese singers encounter many difficulties when they perform abroad. First they have to face the language barrier," said Liu Shirong, a veteran classical Western opera scholar. "It is difficult for the Chinese to sing in Italian, German or French. Then they have to conquer a wide range of repertoires."

"And last but not least, they must be well-educated in terms of culture, art, literature and more," Liu said. "I believe that Tian has worked very hard."

The competition for joining an opera house is tense in the West. And compared with tenors and sopranos, it is more difficult for a bass singer to find a position in an opera house.

What's more, most of the roles in classical Western operas usually go to Caucasians.

Five agents turned him down directly and two failed to find a job for him.

"I was depressed and told myself if I could not sign a contract with an opera house by the end of 1990, I would open a Chinese restaurant in Denver," he said.

But fate played a hand and in 1990, he passed the audition to join the Metropolitan Opera.

Since his debut in the 1991-1992 season, Tian has gradually earned widespread recognition as one of the world's most talented basses.

He has won acclaim for some of the greatest roles written for bass singers, including Philip in "Don Carlos," Procida in "I Vespri Siciliani," Mephistopheles in "Faust," Colline in "La Boheme" and Timur in "Turandot."

He has also received high praise for his appearances in many international theatres such as the Teatro Comunale in Florence, Washington Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Opera de Nice and Berlin State Opera.

Busy schedule

Meanwhile, Tian has continued his training. He revealed he had just finished a 20-day course with an Italian vocal teacher, who he knew from his days in Florence last year.

"My performance schedule is busy but I still try to find 20 days to learn the 'old school' of bel canto with the teacher, because I think it is useful to my voice," he said.

Having enjoyed great success abroad, Tian wants to come back to China.

"The first 50 years in my life have passed and the second is just starting. I hope to play some original Chinese operas both at home and abroad," said Tian.

"It would not take a long time, since China now has world-known composers such as Tan Dun and Guo Wenjing, playwrights such as Xu Ying, my good friend who wrote the lyrics for Tan Dun's opera 'Tea,' and talented directors such as Lin Zhaohua and Zhang Yimou," he said.

Tian is scheduled to sing the leading bass role in Tan Dun's new work "First Emperor," commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera for the 2006-2007 season.

Last year, he debuted in Tan's "Tea" in Japan and won great acclaim for his role.

"Tian is not only gifted but works hard. He established his approach by combining the understanding of Chinese culture and interpretation of the Western classical music," Tan Dun has been quoted as saying.

(China Daily 08/21/2004 page9)